A district judge sentenced a 33-year-old man to probation Tuesday for burning down his rural Lincoln home during a manic episode.
Adam Schutte pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree arson for the incident Sept. 19, 2021.
In court Tuesday, his attorney, Oluseyi Olowolafe, said in 2020, during the pandemic, Schutte was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and was struggling.
"This case, your honor, is about his mental illness, it is about how he was coping and dealing with his mental illness,"Â Olowolafe said.
He said Schutte set his own house on fire in a manic state in an attempt to kill himself but, thankfully, wasn't successful.
Olowolafe said Schutte takes full responsibility for his actions.
"At the same time," he said, "criminalizing the mentally ill because they are suffering from their illness is just outrageous."
He asked Lancaster County District Judge Jodi Nelson to let Schutte continue to seek the mental health help he's been getting since the incident.
Shortly after 7:30 a.m. Sept. 19, 2021, firefighters and rescue workers were called about a fire at Schutte's home near Waverly Road and U.S. 77.
Schutte told a Lancaster County Sheriff's deputy he poured two cans of gasoline on the roof and himself, then lit a fire in the bedroom with a candle and got on the roof.
No one else was home at the time, and Schutte let his dog out before he started the fire.
The prosecutor said the home and the belongings in it were a $370,000 loss.
In the end, Nelson said it was a case where there was tremendous damage done. Not just to property, but also to his family's trust. Spurred by serious mental health issues.
She said Schutte had no prior criminal history and has worked hard afterward to address the difficulties he was facing at the time.
"It is certainly a tragic case in many, many ways," Nelson said, before sentencing Schutte to three years of probation as Schutte wiped away tears.
Photos: Firefighters in action
Photos: Firefighters in Action
A firefighter backs off from the heat of the flames Sunday coming from the roof of Romantix, 921 O St. Fire crews responded to the adult novelty store blaze at about 9 a.m. and needed most of the afternoon to extinguish the flames. The building is described as a total loss, but no one was injured.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Photos: Firefighters in Action
A massive plume of fire erupts in front of Lincoln firefighters Nick Thill (left) and Mark Sullivan moments after Sullivan ventilated the roof with the blade of his chainsaw at a working fire at 1717 A Street in Lincoln on Wednesday evening, April 6, 2011.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Photos: Firefighters in Action
With a fire hose at the ready, Lincoln firefighters look over the underside of a pickup truck which rolled over at the intersection of 16th and L Streets Monday afternoon, April 11, 2011. The scanner call mentioned there was leaking gasoline. One person was taken away on a stretcher to an ambulance.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Photos: Firefighters in Action
Marie Yost (left) and Nancy Harter (right) watch from the median on O Street as Lincoln firefighters pour water on the smouldering remains of the Lincoln Public Schools adminstration building on Tuesday morning, May 31, 2011. Harter, who worked in the building for 11 years, said a supervisor contacted staff at 6 a.m. to let them know of the fire.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Photos: Firefighters in Action
Heavy smoke envelopes the house fire at 236 S. 27th Street as Lincoln firefighters apply water to the attic fire on Tuesday afternoon, August 16, 2011.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Photos: Firefighters in Action
Lincoln Firefighter Nancy Engelbrecht (right) attempts to comfort Shari Elder as Elder watches smoke pour from the apartment building where she lives on Wednesday, March 13, 2013, at 27th and Randolph streets.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Photos: Firefighters in Action
Protected against the 1600 degree temperatures emanating from the fire pit, Dorchester Vol. Fire Dept. firefighter Brant Pracheil tosses the Stars and Stripes into the flames on Tuesday, June 14, 2016, during a flag retirement ceremony at the Dorchester American Legion Post 264. A total of 1957 unserviceable flags from the communities of Dorchester, York, Fairmont, Lincoln, Wilber, Fairbury and Crete were retired from life during the ceremony.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Photos: Firefighters in Action
The Stars and Strips opens to the swirling wind from the ladder of Lincoln Fire & Rescue Truck 1 on Friday, March 31, 2017, during the bridge dedication ceremony for Staff Sgt. Patrick Hamburger at the Spirit of '76 Armory.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Photos: Firefighters in Action
Surrounded by black smoke, a Lincoln Fire Department firefighter uses a pike pole to open the porch ceiling at the scene of a house fire on Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019, at 1800 Euclid Avenue.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Photos: Firefighters in Action
Matt Barnard, with Beatrice Rural Fire District, uses a torch to spread flames during a prescribed burn of 45 acres of the prairie at Homestead National Monument of America on Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2010.
GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
Photos: Firefighters in Action
Lincoln Fire and Rescue teams help Alex Lekai and his mother, not pictured, evacuate from her south bottoms home on Thursday, May 7, 2015.
GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
Photos: Firefighters in Action
Cuddling her grandson's dog Milo, homeowner Deborah Ganz is consoled by a neighbor as she watches her garage burn on Wednesday, April 6, 2016, in west Lincoln.
KRISTIN STREFF, Journal Star
Photos: Firefighters in Action
A Lincoln firefighter directs his hose on the roof of La Mexicana Market & Restaurant, 17th and P Streets, on Monday, April 13, 2015.
TED KIRK, Journal Star
Reach the writer at 402-473-7237 or lpilger@journalstar.com .
On Twitter @LJSpilger
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