Volunteer firefighter admits setting series of fires

Leslie Winchester, 19, was previously named firefighter of the year by officials in Humphreys County

Volunteer firefighter Leslie Roy Winchester, was arrested after he admitted setting a string of six fires in a Tennessee town. (TBI)

A volunteer firefighter was arrested after he admitted to setting a string of six fires in a Tennessee town.

Leslie Roy Winchester, 19, was previously praised for his work and was even made firefighter of the year by Humphreys County in December 2021.

Now he has been charged with four counts of aggravated arson, two counts of arson, six counts of vandalism of more than $10,000, and six counts of criminal trespass.

Officials say that an investigation was launched on 8 July after Humphreys County Fire responded to a blaze at a store in Waverly, Tennessee, the previous day.

After the incident authorities called in the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to probe a number of fires that had taken place over a short period of time.

Investigators say they linked the fire to Mr Winchester, who then told the Humphreys County Sheriff’s Office he had set it using gasoline, as well as five other fires over the past month.

During one of the fires, a fellow firefighter named Bobby Rich was injured while tackling it.

“An investigation by special agent fire investigators with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Humphreys County Sheriff’s Office, and the Humphreys County Fire Department has resulted in the arrest of a Waverly man,” said TBI in a statement.

The suspect was booked into the Humphreys County Jail on a $1.7m bond. The TBI says that the investigation “remains active and ongoing.”