Hallucinating Man Breaks Into Neighbor's House to Save Dog from Imaginary Fire: Police

The man, 43-year-old Michael Orchard, was arrested on charges of burglary and criminal mischief

An upstate New York man apparently high on hallucinogens broke into his neighbor's home to save their dog from what he thought was a burning home, police say.

There was no fire, state police told WNYT-TV. The man had consumed LSD and cough medicine and thought his neighbor's home in Saratoga County was being consumed by flames last Thursday, officials say. 

He went around his Halfmoon neighborhood banging on doors and yelling about a fire, WNYT reported. When no one would help, he drove his black BMW sedan through his neighbor's fence, went to the back door and smashed through it to retrieve the dog. 

He emerged triumphantly with the large white dog, and responding officers found him standing outside the home with the dog in his arms, police said.

"He believed that the residence was on fire and he was rescuing the dog," State Police Troop G spokesman Mark Cepiel said. 

The man, 43-year-old Michael Orchard, was arrested on charges of burglary and criminal mischief. He was jailed on $15,000 bail. 

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