LACROSSE, Wis. — A man was charged with arson for a fire that destroyed a trailer house from which he had been evicted in June. John Galster, age 61, was in the trailer, according to investigators who later tracked his movements on a cellphone. Also: Witnesses reported Galster’s truck at the trailer. The fire, at Brookview Mobile Home Court, damaged four nearby structures. There were no injuries. Galster was already in civil court on a complaint that he returned several times after his eviction and vandalized the unit. About the fire, investigators quoted Galster that it was an accident: He was using a butane lighter to find his way in the dark and stumbled. The lighter ignited paint that was splattered around the place, he explained. He also explained he was in the unit to retrieve Christmas ornaments. The fire call was October 1 about 6:40 a.m..
Galster. Says at trailer to retrieve belongings.