Firefighter who set CN bridge ablaze gets two-year jail sentence
A former volunteer firefighter who told a psychiatrist that responding to the scenes of his own arsons made him feel like a “hero” was sentenced to 24 months in jail Thursday.
Lawson Michael Schalm pleaded guilty to four counts of arson March 31, admitting to setting fires around Mayerthorpe, including a blaze that destroyed a wooden train trestle bridge.
Schalm, 20, was among the local volunteer firefighters who responded to fight the 18 to 19 fires that court heard he’d set over a span of 12 days in April 2016.
Extra fire crews, a helicopter and an air tanker were called to assist battling the most serious fire, which destroyed the CN trestle bridge on April 26, 2016.
Court heard Schalm felt remorseful after the bridge fire.
Still, he went on to set more fires just days later. Most of the arsons were grass fires, but one was lit near a non-active gas plant.
When Schalm was confronted, he confessed and was co-operative, even leading investigators through a re-enactment of how he started each fire.
In determining a sentence, provincial court Judge Charles Gardner relied on a psychiatric report submitted to the court that found that although Schalm doesn’t suffer from pyromania or other mental illnesses, his cognitive abilities are extremely low, he lacks self-esteem, is depressed and has faulty judgment.
Court heard Schalm was six when he was adopted by his current family, leaving a home of neglect and domestic violence.
“I thought it would be cool for people to see us in action,” Schalm told a psychiatrist.
Crown prosecutor Dallas Sopko had argued for a five-year sentence for all convictions, while Schalm’s defence lawyer, Edmond O’Neill, argued for an 18-month sentence with probation.
Gardner ruled that though Schalm’s actions were “clearly reckless,” a federal prison term, mandatory for all sentences over two years, would not be appropriate. With credit for pre-trial custody, Schalm has 21 months left to serve in provincial jail, and will then be on probation for three years. Gardner also ordered Schalm to pay the Town of Mayerthorpe $8,650 in restitution.
Court heard that although the fire cost CN about $7.5 million, the rail company did not seek any restitution payments.
As the slight, youthful-looking man was led from the courtroom by sheriffs, his mother Janet Schalm softly called out: “We love you, Lawson.”
Speaking outside the courthouse, his father, Albert Schalm, a local public school trustee and former Mayerthorpe mayor, said his family has been moved by the community ’s capacity for forgiveness.
Albert Schalm hopes that once his son is out of jail, he can work toward being a “productive citizen.”
“I still have every reason to believe that’s possible,” the father said.
Mayerthorpe is about 140 km northwest of Edmonton.