Man accused of burning teen

PERKINS TWP. — A Castalia man is facing an arson charge after allegedly burning a teenage girl in Perkins Township on Wednesday. Christopher A. Macek, 21, of the 300 block of N. Washington St., is facing one count of aggravated arson, a first-degree felony. Just before 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, officers were called to a car dealership in the 2300 block of Hayes Ave. (Ohio 4) for the report of a teenager who was burned. Employees were cleaning oil stains off of concrete in the service area of the building, according to Perkins police Capt. Martin Curran. They were using brake cleaner for this purpose. Macek allegedly lit the brake cleaner on fire. In doing so, a teenage girl was allegedly burned. The Ohio criminal code section on aggravated arson states the following: "No person, by means of fire or explosion, shall knowingly do any of the following: Create a substantial risk of serious physical harm to any person other than the offender." He was arrested on Thursday and booked into the Erie County Jail under a $25,000 bond. He has since been released. Court records indicate Macek had an initial court appearance on Friday and entered a not guilty plea.