Ex Kansas Firefighter Pleads Guilty to Three Arsons
Source The Hutchinson News, Kan.
Sept. 06--The 19-year-old former volunteer firefighter accused of intentionally setting grass fires pleaded guilty to three counts of arson in court Thursday.
Cody Knox, of Arlington, was convicted of three felony arson counts. He was originally charged with 14 counts, but the state dropped 11 charges as part of a plea deal. The charges carry a presumptive probation sentence.
Knox was a volunteer for Reno County Fire District No. 4, which covers Arlington, Langdon, Plevna and Abbyville.
At the time of the fires, he was studying fire science at Hutchinson Community College.
Reno County District Attorney Keith Schroeder previously said Knox used a cigarette lighter to set the fires. Dates of the fires, all of which occurred near Arlington, include three on Nov. 21, two on Nov. 11 and two on Oct. 17.
Schroeder attributed Knox's arrest to good police work. Sheriff's Capt. Steve Lutz previously said volunteer firefighters get paid per fire call, but it's just a small amount, typically reimbursing them for gas mileage or related expenses.
"I don't know if it was for the thrill of it or if he was bored and wasn't seeing enough action," Lutz said. "A lot of times, (investigators) look at firemen because they aren't getting enough action, they know how to set the fires, and think they can get away with it without getting people hurt."
Copyright 2013 - The Hutchinson News, Kan.
