Authorities say a 44-year-old Waukesha man is facing criminal charges after allegedly setting his own bed on fire inside a side-by-side duplex on the 1100 block of West Sunset Drive, leaving his family badly shaken but with no serious injuries reported. The incident happened on Feb. 22 and is now before Waukesha County courts. The defendant is scheduled to return to court on April 3, and a court commissioner has ordered a competency evaluation before the case moves forward, as reported by The Freeman.
According to The Freeman, emergency crews were called after a family member reported seeing flames around the bed. The criminal complaint states that the defendant, identified as 44-year-old Alfred Luna, allegedly set the mattress on fire while lying on it, and that a relative scrambled to put out the flames using two pots of water. One victim described the moment as the door being flung open to reveal Luna on the bed with “active flames all around him,” according to the filing.
Charges, bail jumping and state law
Court records show Luna is charged with five counts of second-degree recklessly endangering safety and two counts of misdemeanor bail jumping tied to the Feb. 22 fire. Under Wisconsin law, bail jumping applies when a person allegedly commits a new offense while out on bond, and it can be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony depending on the underlying case. FindLaw outlines how Wisconsin courts have interpreted and applied the state’s bail jumping statute in prior cases.
Court orders, bail and next steps
Per reporting by The Freeman, Luna was ordered held on $1,000 cash bail and faces a maximum of 51.5 years in prison if convicted on all counts. Court Commissioner Daniel Rieck directed that Luna undergo a competency evaluation, and his next court appearance is set for April 3. Prosecutors and the court are expected to review the evaluation results before deciding how to proceed with formal filings and any additional hearings.
The complaint notes that three family members lived with Luna in the duplex and that two people were at home in the neighboring unit when the fire broke out. Authorities say the investigation remains active and that additional information will be filed in court records as the case develops.
