University of Toledo student receives four months of jail time

On September 21, University of Toledo student Christopher Housel was sentenced to four months in jail for burning another student last January.

Housel, who was a third-year individualized studies major at the time of the incident, when he sprayed 180-proof alcohol on a candle, which burned fellow student Janelle Noe at an off-campus house party on Jan 15, 2016.

According to an Independent Collegian article from April, Noe was treated in the intensive care unit at Mercy St. Vincent’s Medical Center for burns that covered over 50 percent of her body.

The court docket states that Housel was originally indicted on three charges, including aggravated arson, criminal damaging and underage consumption. On July 26, Housel entered a no contest plea to criminal damaging and underage consumption, both misdemeanors of the first degree. Judge Linda Jennings found him guilty of both offences, and set the sentencing hearing for Sept 21.

At the sentencing hearing, Housel was ordered to serve four months at the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio. After his four month sentence, he will be placed on probation, where he will be electronically monitored for two months, do 400 hours of service in a burn unit and spend 400 hours speaking to young people about the effects of drinking.

“I’m glad that this is finally been resolved,” said Noe. “I’m happy with what he has gotten, and he’ll have to serve community service in a burn unit to see what I had to go through while I was there.”

According to 13abc, Judge Jennings called Housel’s actions foolish, and said he was not remorseful.

However, Housel’s lawyer, Jerome Phillips said that Housel feels horrible about the incident.

“It was a person he considered a friend. I don’t blame her for being angry. I don’t blame her for being upset she has a lifetime of agony to go through,” said Phillips. “It was an accident. How foolish it was is unexplainable, but it’s unfortunate and he feels terrible.”

Housel said he would like to apologize to Noe, her family and her friends.

“Nothing I can ever say can make for the wrong that I committed,” Housel said in his statement before being sentenced. “If I would have thought of the possibility of anyone getting hurt, but myself, I don’t believe I would have been acting like an idiot.”

Housel and Noe were cross-country teammates at UT.

“I have been running and it’s definitely a lot more difficult knowing I’ve been better in the past. My abilities were taken away from me not under my control,” Noe said. “I have been running. I ran two races. I’m just so blessed to be able to do it again.”

According to 13abc, it is likely that Noe will file a civil suit against Housel.