GREENFIELD — Phillip Paquette-Guilette, 24, address given as homeless, was in Greenfield District Court Friday for a dangerousness hearing on charges of arson of a home, malicious destruction of property valued over $250, and three counts of attempted murder.
Judge William F. Mazanec III ruled that the Paquette-Guilette will continue to be held.
According to Greenfield Police, a fire was reported on March 27, at around 3 a.m., on the exterior of a house, near two 120-gallon propane tanks. The fire damaged the vinyl siding, plywood sheathing and sub-framing of the house. The address was not disclosed by police, though the incident did occur in Greenfield. The fire was confined to that part of the house, but damage was unofficially estimated at about $15,000, not counting the heavy damage to the propane tanks, valued at $470 each. Three residents were inside the house at the time of the fire.
On March 29, Paquette-Guilette was charged in a separate case with one count of carrying a dangerous weapon and two counts of assault and battery. While being questioned, Paquette-Guilette allegedly made statements that he had attempted to burn a residence in Greenfield and had used gasoline. The street he described resembled the location of the house fire, according to court documents.
According to a police narrative, Paquette-Goulette told Detective Christopher Greene that he filled two Gatorade bottles with gasoline, carried them in a backpack and put the backpack on top of the propane tanks. Then he lit a piece of gasoline-soaked blanket and put it on the backpack.
“At the conclusion of the interview, Paquette-Goulette stated he was sorry for what he did,” Greene wrote.
No additional court date was listed in the docket.