CALLOWAY COUNTY, Ky. -- A man faces multiple charges of criminal mischief after authorities said he is accused of setting field fires after the past 10 months in the northwest part of the county.
The Calloway County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) said there were numerous suspicious fires in the Kirksey area that were reported starting from October of 2022 through July 2023.
These were field fires which were intentionally ignited by someone, CCSO said. Large bales of hay also caught fire in some of the fires as well.
The sheriff's office said while there weren't any structures involved to any of the fires, they did require firefighters to come out and fight the fires, putting firefighters at the Calloway County Fire-Rescue at risk as they kept the flames from spreading to homes and other structures in the area.
After a long investigation, the sheriff's office said they arrested John Young, 70 of Kirksey, on July 14th.
Young was then taken to the Calloway County Detention Center and faces eight counts of 3rd degree criminal mischief charges, one count of 1st degree criminal mischief and a charge of willfully setting fire on land not owned/controlled by self.
