Winchester man to serve 4 years for fire

Published 10:10 am Friday, December 14, 2018

A Winchester man agreed to serve four years in prison after setting his home on fire a year ago.

Jerome Horton, 40, was indicted earlier this year for first-degree arson for the Dec. 29, 2017, incident at 403 W. Washington St.

Police said Horton threw a brick through a window at the residence before igniting gasoline outside the residence. The fire caused minimal damage, police said.

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Thursday in Clark Circuit Court, Horton pleaded guilty to the amended charge of first-degree wanton endangerment and agreed to a four-year prison sentence. A second charge of second-degree persistent felony offender was dismissed as part of the agreement.

Horton apologized in court Thursday and said he was intoxicated at the time.

Police said Horton was arrested at a gas station on West Washington Street, smelling of gasoline and wearing only one shoe. The matching shoe was found outside the house, along with a gasoline can.

Horton is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 10, 2019.

About Fred Petke

Fred Petke is a reporter for The Winchester Sun, the Jessamine Journal and the State Journal. His beats include cops, courts, fire, public records, city and county government and other news. To contact Fred, email fred.petke@bluegrassnewsmedia.com or call 859-759-0051.

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