A serial arsonist and former firefighter was ordered to pay a paralyzed Pennsylvania firefighter and his wife $10M Friday by a Northumberland County judge.
Former Warrior Run firefighter Wayne E. Hawley Jr. was paralyzed by a falling beam while fighting a barn fire in 2007 set by Chester A. Cyphers, according to The Daily Item.
Cyphers, former Washingtonville firefighter, pleaded guilty to setting the fire two years ago. After the decision, both Judge Charles H. Saylor and Hawley said they doubt they will ever see a dime of the award.
"Mr. Hawley is entitled to it, but as a practical matter he will not get anything," Saylor told the paper.
Cyphers, 55, a former firefighter, is currently serving a 12-year to 25-year prison sentence for setting 11 fires in Northumberland, Montour and Lycoming counties between 2004 and 2008, the newspaper reported.
The judge awarded $7.54 million to Hawley and $2.5 million to his wife, Judith.
Hawley told the reporter he also doesn't believe he'll see the money. "But we don't know what the future holds, and we had to make sure if it was possible, we'd have the means to take care..."
