A Glasgow man pleaded guilty in a plea agreement on June 17 to a misdemeanor charge of intentionally setting a brush fire.
Nicholas Colton Falls, 31, of Glasgow, was originally charged with maliciously setting a brush fire, which is a felony.
Deputies from the Rockbridge County Sheriff’s Office arrested him on March 7 for allegedly starting a fire by the CSX railroad tracks in Glasgow.
The felony charge was amended to a misdemeanor as part of the plea deal.
The commonwealth also charged Falls with entering a property with the intent to cause damage, trespassing on a railroad track and leaving a fire unattended, all of which are misdemeanors. Those charges were dropped.
Intentionally setting a brush fire is a Class 1 misdemeanor that can carry a prison sentence of up to one year. Falls received the full yearlong sentence, but it was suspended on condition of good behavior.
To stay out of prison, Falls will also have to reimburse the Glasgow Volunteer Fire Department more than $1,100 to cover the cost of putting out the fire and pay court costs totaling approximately $200. He’s not allowed to set foot on CSX property or start any fires while serving his suspended sentence. And he’ll be required to visit the Rockbridge Area Community Services for mental health and substance abuse check-ins.
Falls will have to pay the court and the fire department by July 19, 2027.
