New arson charge laid on previously charged Medicine Hat man

By Medicine Hat News on March 12, 2025.

@MedicineHatNews

A Medicine Hat man who was just sentenced on arson charges is facing new allegations he lit a dangerous fire a few days after his release.

Aiden Matthew Duchscherer, 39, appeared in Court of Justice at Medicine Hat on Tuesday for a first appearance on charges of arson damaging property, disobeying a court order and failing to comply with a probation order.

He remained in custody after the matter was adjourned so the man could arrange legal representation. It will return to court on March 18.

Crown prosecutors told the court on Tuesday they would proceed by way of indictment on the new charge, which would carry a maximum prison sentence of 14 years. The particulars of charge were not read aloud.

In January, Duchscherer pleaded guilty to a charge of arson endangering human life stemming from an incident with his tenants one month earlier at his Southeast Hill residence.

Court heard in an agreed statement of facts that Duchscherer was accused of holding a torch on a closed bedroom door while yelling at the people inside.

He was sentenced on March 5 to spend a total of 132 days behind bars, and a probation period but since he had been in custody since the Dec. 7 incident, that amounted to time served.

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