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Man charged with arson fire at his residence
By Times staff writer © St. Petersburg Times, published May 21, 2001 A 53-year-old man has been arrested and charged with arson after his Homosassa residence burned down last month. James M. Sookov is accused of setting fire to the house at 10265 W. Fishbowl Drive on the night of April 12 after a fight with his wife. According to an arrest report, Sookov was upset by a telephone conversation with his son and began arguing with his wife. She quickly fled the house with a family friend. When the friend returned shortly after midnight, the house was engulfed by flames. The friend called 911 and searched for Sookov. When the friend returned to his house, just down the street, Sookov was waiting for the friend on the front porch. Sookov was bleeding from his left arm from what were believed to be self-inflicted cuts, the report said. When law enforcement officers arrived, Sookov fled. The friend searched for him and told him to cooperate with the investigation. Authorities say Sookov beat the friend up, and he was arrested and charged with battery, the arrest report said. A Citrus County sheriff's deputy said that while on his way to jail, Sookov told the officer that he had set the fire. He was not arrested then because the cause of the fire was still being investigated. Sookov later threatened his wife and told a corrections officer he planned to "cut his wife and burn her body in the residence," the report said.
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