ROCKLAND, Maine — A 51-year-old South Thomaston man who is awaiting sentencing for setting fire to his home in an effort to collect insurance is behind bars after he was found in possession of a pink Bic lighter.
Dana R. Benner was arrested Friday morning after the district attorney’s office obtained an arrest warrant Thursday, arguing that Benner violated terms of his bail. One condition of his bail was that he not possess any incendiary devices.
Benner pleaded guilty in December to one count of arson for a fire that damaged his home in September 2008 in South Thomaston. The agreement reached between the prosecution and defense was that he be sentenced to four years in jail with all but nine months suspended if he does not violate bail in the next 12 months. He was scheduled to be sentenced in December.
Benner was stopped May 3 by police in Damariscotta when he was driving his son’s vehicle with one headlight not working. The officer determined he was on bail and was informed of the prohibition of having no incendiary devices. The officer found a pink Bic lighter in plain view in a dashboard compartment.
Benner was issued a summons for violating a condition of bail. The case was referred to the district attorney’s office, which then sought the arrest warrant that was issued Thursday.
Benner’s attorney, Jonathan Handelman of Brunswick, filed a motion Thursday asking that Benner’s bail conditions be amended to allow him to be able to smoke.
“Although Dana is struggling to overcome his nicotine addiction and is taking medication to help him quit smoking, he has not yet quit,” stated the motion.
Benner is scheduled to make a court appearance Friday afternoon in Rockland District Court.
Why didn’t Attorney Handleman file his Motion to Amend Bail Conditions immediately after the Bail Conditions were issued instead of waiting until AFTER his client is written up for violating??In fact, this article states the prosecution and defense came to an agreement…so why didn’t the attorney address his client’s smoking habit at that time and negotiate bail conditions accordingly? Flick of a Bic…get ya jail time.
Why did the DA put the warrant out Thursday night, same day after he received motion for Dana to have lighter for smoking?? When this happened in MAY. Such a coincidence !!!..Truck has a lighter too.Take it out?? Some people should have common sense but lack it.
Anyone notice that A) the lighter wasn’t even on him and B) it wasn’t even his car? Hardly “possession” of anything.
If you are driving and the only one in the car then whatevers there is in your possession wheather its yours or not. I think that this is dumb I get that he set fire to his home and whatnot but not being able to have a lighter to light cigarettes? Oh why was the lighter “pink”? think he bic’d someone?? Is that stealing to add to his sentence? I do like how they added the color in the article lol.
there was another person in the vehicle, that’s not mentioned.
All the more reason as to not charge him with the “pink” lighter :)
Come on Mr. DA, Give the guy a break !
right!!! if he had flint and birch bark….would they have noticed???
come on give him a break ; dana is a nice guy !! just because he had a lighter?? come on he smokes butts , how rediculouss!!
real nice trys to burn his house down,to collect ilegal gains,so he is a theif and an arsoness.yup real nice guy.
You just set fire to The Kings english…
To walk a mile in someone else’s shoes……..if you only knew! Just because it’s in the paper doesn’t mean it’s true! It was in no way shape or form trying to collect insurance. My FATHER is NOT a thief and anyone who ACTUALLY knows him would tell you how GOOD of a person he is. I feel bad for small minded people. Here’s an article acutally worth reading about Dana Benner!!
http://www.gloucestertimes.com/local/x645301412/Ebb-Flow-Benner-stands-out-among-fishermen
Thief is the correct way of spelling and for your info there was NO collection for the insurance of the house. No paperwork was ever filed!!!!!!!!!!!!
He isn’t no theft shut your mouth he is a great guy maybe your a thef an need to get you mouth shut danna is a great family man an whoever doent know that shut your mouths an say what u have to say in person
This is his son in law an Danna is a great man an was charge with fales stuff but if you want to run it then F off danna is a loved an well like guy an i will back him up any day so u douters F OFF pink ligher come on for on why would he have pink an 2 wasnt his truck do u search the truck/car of others u drive? The knox county DA can shove it ask the da about his POKER an BETs he make is that legal with no lic i think not pluse taking to others about the cases he has with others to is that right or legal sorry to all that like danna a see what him an family are going threw..Love ya danna
This is his other daughter writing—-So when my Dad cooks me breakfast in the morning with our gas stove, is he doing wrong since that’s “fire”??? Or when we are in the Walmart checkout and there’s a lighter 16 inches away??is that wrong??? car lighters?? Think about it. Again there was never a file or even an attempt to file/claim insurance!! Pretty sad they pull people over just for a headlight out when there are tons and tons of major crimes way worse and dangerous but those who commit the worst walk free, pathetic! But again anyone who knows my father knows very much about how caring and kind of a person he will always be, I look up to him in more ways than anyone and I’M VERY PROUD DANA BENNER IS MY FATHER!! Just because it’s printed in the paper doesn’t mean it’s true, you negative Nancys should know that by now!!