Firefighter sentenced
A former volunteer firefighter, who pleaded guilty to setting a fire that resulted in an injury to a Uniontown firefighter last year, will spend 11/2 to 3 years in prison following a sentencing held Friday. Nathan DeWayne Kennedy, 23, of Uniontown was charged with arson, aggravated assault and simple assault before Magisterial District Judge Mark Blair following a fire that ripped through a vacant home in Uniontown Aug. 23, 2006.
Fayette County Judge John F. Wagner said Friday that the sentence will run concurrently to a sentence of 11/2 to 7 years Kennedy was already serving in state prison for a 2002 arson.
Last September, Fayette County Judge Steve P. Leskinen revoked Kennedy’s probation in that case, citing the Aug. 23 fire, which was a violation of his probation agreement, and resentenced him to 11/2 to 7 years.
The 2006 charges against Kennedy stemmed from a fire that injured firefighter Tom Kegg, who was battling the blaze just after 9 p.m. at 129 Walnut St., Aug. 23, according to police Detective Donald M. Gmitter.
Fire Chief Myron Nypaver said about 10 minutes into trying to squelch the flames, Kegg entered the second story of the home on a “suppression crew.” Nypaver said Kegg inadvertently touched exposed electrical wires and had to be taken to Uniontown Hospital, where he was treated for an accelerated heart rate.
According to the criminal complaint filed by Gmitter, city patrolmen discovered Kennedy outside the burning house and he agreed to talk with police. He later admitted to setting the fire, Gmitter said. Kennedy told Gmitter he set newspapers on fire at the house and then told the detective that he “needs help for his problem.”
Kennedy told investigators he used a 20-ounce soda bottle filled with gasoline as an accelerant when he lit the newspapers in the front rooms of the vacant house, Gmitter said.
Gmitter said Kennedy’s statement to police corroborated with evidence discovered by the state police fire marshal.
In the 2002 case, Kennedy was one of three people charged with setting fire to a garage at the 125 Lincoln St. on May 27. A state police fire marshal determined that someone intentionally set fire to garbage piled along the side of the garage. During an interview with a Uniontown police detective, Kennedy acknowledged standing as a lookout while another man set the fire, according to court records. He was charged with arson, conspiracy to commit arson and criminal mischief.
Kennedy had recently become a volunteer member of the Keystone Fire Department in Uniontown prior to the 2002 fire but was let go following the investigation into the incident.