N.J. man arrested in fire threat

A 43-year-old man in Gloucester Township doused himself, his 84-year-old mother, and another occupant of their home with lighter fluid, allowed the house to fill with natural gas, then threatened to use a lighter and matches to set fire to them all, police said.

Police were dispatched to the home on the 600 block of Marino Avenue around 1 a.m. Saturday, where they found Paul Dobrzynski intoxicated on the front lawn.

As more officers arrived, they found Dobrzynski's mother in the house and discovered "a very strong odor of natural gas," according to a news release.

After spraying lighter fluid on himself and the two other residents of the Camden County house, Dobrzynski blew out the pilot lights on the stove to fill the house with natural gas.

Then, police said, he held a lighter and matches and threatened to kill everyone.

The other man was able to run to a neighbor's house and call 911.

No injuries were reported.

Dobrzynski was charged with multiple counts of attempted murder, attempted aggravated arson, and making terroristic threats. He is being held on $600,000 cash bail awaiting a court hearing.

According to court records, Dobrzynski has been arrested at least once before for allegedly threatening violence. In March 2010, he was sentenced to more than four months in jail, followed by three years of probation as part of a plea agreement, the records state.