BY ROD HANSEN

A local youth accused of felony arson charges in connection with recent house and vehicle fires was intoxicated and high on large quantities of cough medication at the time of the alleged crimes, according to court records.

Robert Audette, 17, of Goffstown, faces felony charges for setting fires to a house at 37 Joffrey St. and a truck parked outside the Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Hall at 97 Daniel Plummer Road on Monday, March 12. An unidentified juvenile also stands accused of related crimes, including breaking windows at the Kingdom Hall and damaging another vehicle in the parking lot.

Audette also faces misdemeanor charges of being a minor under the influence of alcohol and criminal trespass in the case.

Appearing before Goffstown District Court Judge Paul Lawrence on Tuesday, March 20, Audette waived a probable cause hearing through his attorney, Charles O’Leary of Manchester.

Audette is still awaiting a grand jury’s decision on whether to indict him on the felony charges, O’Leary said.

An indictment would lead to arraignment in the Northern District of Hillsborough County Superior Court. Transfer from district to superior court could take as long as 75 days, O’Leary said.

While the felony charges remain subject to grand jury indictment, maintaining the misdemeanor charges in Goffstown District Court would allow Audette to enter a treatment facility for substance abuse problems, O’Leary said.

According to a police affidavit, Audette admitted consuming alcohol, large quantities of the cough suppressant DXM, Benadryl and Dramamine the evening the alleged crimes took place.

In a statement given to police the morning of March 12, Audette “said that he was extremely intoxicated last night and that he did go to the Kingdom Hall on Daniel Plummer Road, and that Audette lit the truck on fire.”

Audette also admitted drinking Miller High Life the previous evening, and several cans of the beer were found on the Kingdom Hall property.

Audette is currently being held on $5,000 cash or surety bail and $5,000 personal recognizance bail for the felony charges, and $1,000 personal recognizance bail on the misdemeanor charges, according to police prosecutor Kerry Steckowych.

Audette is currently being held at the Hillsborough County House of Corrections in Manchester.