LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. (LEX NEWS) — An East Bernstadt man was arrested on Thursday by the Laurel County Sheriff's Office for a previous incident that occurred in the 700 block of Hensley Road the morning of June 28, according to a press release.
According to Laurel County Sheriff John Root, 40-year-old Michael Parker was arrested on Thursday, July 30 around 10:12 p.m. off of Little County Road, approximately six miles north of London, following an investigation.
An investigation by Laurel County detectives reveals that on June 28 around 4:00 in the morning, Parker allegedly caused a fire in a residential neighborhood when he allegedly attempted to steal gasoline from a vehicle parked in a resident's driveway. According to the press release, Parker allegedly attempted to create a hole in the bottom of the resident's fuel tank by striking it.
As a result, a fire erupted from the vehicle, causing the suspect to receive severe burns in the process. The fire reportedly spread to the home, which at the time had four individuals asleep inside. According to Root, East Bernstadt Fire and Rescue responded to the scene and evacuated the occupants from the residence without injuries.
After the incident, Parker allegedly fled the scene and was later located by detectives in Williamsburg. According to an arrest citation filed with Laurel County District Court, detectives located Parker at a hotel in Whitley County on Wednesday, July 29.
At the hotel, the arrest citation states that Parker gave detectives a statement admitting he started the fire, and that he had received severe burns from the incident. Parker was later placed under arrest the next day, on Thursday.
Parker was lodged at the Laurel County Correctional Center on Thursday night, and he has a listed bond of $25,000. He is facing four counts of wanton endangerment in the first degree, criminal mischief in the first degree, and theft by unlawful taking or disposition of gasoline. Parker is set to appear in Laurel County District Court on Aug. 4 for his preliminary hearing.
