Internet flame war got a bit literal

A VIRGINIAN navy man got so miffed during an email flame war with the owner of a haunted house museum that he drove 1,300 miles from Virginia to Waco, Texas and set fire to his trailer.

As the decorated Fire Controlman, 2nd Class Petty Officer Russell Tavares drove towards Waco he posted photos online showing the welcome signs at several states' borders.

Tavares, 27, was sentenced to seven years in prison after admitting he started the blaze.

His victim John Anderson, 59, suffered smoke inhalation while trying to put out the fire that caused $50,000 in damage to his trailer and computer equipment.

It all started back in 2005, when Anderson joined a picture-sharing Web site and posted his artwork and political views. Tavares got angry when Anderson called him a nerd and posted a digitally altered photo making Tavares look like a skinny boy holding a gun and a laptop under a "Revenge of the Nerds" sign.

Tavares tracked Anderson down, took leave from his post as a weapons systems operator at the AEGIS Training and Readiness Center in Dahlgren and started driving. His plan, apparently, was to point a shotgun at Anderson and shoot his computer.

Instead, he threw a piece of gasoline-soaked plastic foam into the back of Anderson's mobile home and lit a flare.

Tavares was discharged from the Navy and claims to have lost everything because of the feud. Apparently even when he had his day in court he could not let the matter go. He was caught taking pictures of Anderson on his mobile phone. The court ordered the phone to be wiped.

More here. µ