Arson Charge Filed in Valleyview Assisted Living Fire

William Jerald Kelly, 46, has been charged in Rice County District Court for on Feb. 5 at .

Kelly faces a first-degree arson charge, a felony. The maximum penalty for the charge is 20 years in prison and/or a $20,000 fine.

Northfield Police said the day after the fire that they believed it . About 40 residents because of the fire.

According to a criminal complaint filed with the court, Kelly, who lived at the facility, came forward following the fire to admit he had started it.

"I set a fire to my clothes in the closet. I kicked off the fire alarm, closed and locked my bedroom then went out the entrance door to the parking lot," he told police, the complaint says.

He told police he used a lighter to start the fire.

Kelly told police he started the fire because he was "tired of people being mistreated and being bullied," according to the complaint.

An officer asked if he had told anyone about his frustrations and he replied, "Like who? It wouldn't have done any good."

Kelly said he didn't mean to hurt anyone.

"I just wanted to be in solitary confinement and have the patients be placed somewhere safe," he said, according to the complaint.

Kelly, who uses a wheelchair, was placed on a psychological hold and was evaluated at Hennepin County Medical Center the day after the fire.

Kelly makes his first court appearance on April 3. He has no criminal record, according to Minnesota Court records.

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