ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, March 1, 1997 TAG: 9703030019
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG
SOURCE: LISA K. GARCIA
A Radford woman, who pleaded not guilty to arson and grand larceny charges after admitting to police that she set a fire that caused an estimated $14,000 in damage, will spend five years on active probation.
Janet A. King, 47, had no prior criminal record before being convicted of the Aug. 29 arson of her ex-boyfriend's Trans Am and Bronco as well two pull-along campers. One of the campers belonged to another man. She also admitted taking a gun that was under the seat of one of the cars and was found guilty of grand larceny.
King testified Friday in Montgomery County Circuit Court that she "lost control" when she committed the crimes.
She said she became jealous after reading a card from her boyfriend's ex-wife that was lying in the seat of his car and flew into a rage. She then torched some of his clothes, but attempted to put them out before leaving.
King said she returned to the lot on Scattergood Drive where James Dunford's cars were parked to make sure the fire was out but found it had spread out of control.
Circuit Judge Willis A. Woods said that despite King's obvious remorse, her promise to pay for the damages and solid work record in the community, he took her actions "very seriously."
Woods sentenced King to three years in prison on the arson charge and two years on the grand larceny. He suspended the sentence and said King must pay her victims for the their losses and remain on probation five years.
LENGTH: Short : 36 linesby CNB