Renville man charged with arson for starting home on fire with family inside

A Renville man has been formally charged with arson for allegedly starting his home on fire with his wife and five children inside Feb. 4. Austin Telthoester, age 24, is charged with 1st Degree Arson and five counts of child endangerment.

Court records say when fire crews responded to the blaze, Telthoester was acting erratically, told them there were racoons in the walls of the house, and reportedly threatened a police officer. His wife told police Telthoester started a wall of the bedroom on fire with a camping torch after asking her if she heard something inside the wall. No one was injured in the blaze.

(JP Cola, KWLM)