EUSTIS, Florida—A man accused of dumping gunpowder into a fire and causing an explosion that burned his 3-year-old son and himself in late December, was arrested early Thursday morning for aggravated child abuse.
Shortly after 3:15 p.m. Dec. 29, Eustis Police responded to a home in the 500 block of Jackson Street on a report of a fire pit exploding in a backyard. When officers arrived, Walter Jonathan Falen Sr., 30, walked out of the bathroom, clad in only a wet towel, along with Falen’s 3-year-old son, according to a probable cause affidavit. Falen, who appeared to be in shock, said he was “on fire” and was in the bathtub naked with the toddler. Police later found Falen did not live at the home; a friend was letting him stay there so he would not be homeless during Christmas.
Falen told police he tried to light a mortar using a sparkler and when he tossed the sparkler into the fire pit, it exploded on him and the tot. The toddler suffered burns to both is his legs and arms and his left cheek and Falen suffered burns to his left arm and leg; both Falen and the child have second and third degree burns and were airlifted to local hospitals, due to their injuries. Officers began investigating the scene and found a “mangled piece of metal” which contained the words “gunpowder” and a sparkler, according to the affidavit.
Police questioned witnesses, but due to heavy redaction in the report, it is unclear who the witness are. One witness said Falen was attempting to toast a bagel when he poured a container of lighter fluid into the fire. It made a loud popping noise and exploded. Another witness stated Falen poured the gunpowder into the fire after shooting fireworks into the water. That witness was asked if Falen told her what to say about the incident and she reportedly said Falen told her to “always lie to police officers,” and had recently told her to lie about a traffic crash.
A third witness told a detective Falen poured the gunpowder into the fire because he was trying to make a firework with material from a canister labeled “gunpowder.” A fourth witness said she turned around to get bagels and heard an explosion.
A warrant was issued for Falen’s arrest Jan. 20, and he was picked up by EPD shortly after 12:30 a.m. Thursday. He was transported to the Lake County Jail, where he is being held on $50,000 bond.
