A serial arsonist and 2 other defendants were sentenced in Lexington County last week.

Kimberly C. Wooten, 56, pled guilty but mentally ill to the charge of Arson - 2nd degree.

She was sentenced to 25 years, suspended on serving 17 years in prison.

Wooten pled to burning down a home under construction at 265 Wessinger Farms Road, Chapin Sept. 15.

\Under SC law, this is a “no parole” offense and Wooten must serve at least 85% of the sentence.
Wooten has 6 prior arson convictions from Richland County in 2008 for intentionally burning homes in the Irmo area.

She served an active sentence of 13 years in the SC Department of Corrections before being released.

She re-offended in 2019 with new arson charges in Lexington County.
During the sentencing hearing, Lexington County Fire Chief Mark Davis addressed the court regarding the ongoing threat that Wooten poses to the community. Chief Davis also expressed profound concern for the safety of all firefighters who risk their lives while battling arson crimes. Lexington County Sheriff’s Department Detective Joshua Skeen also addressed the court regarding Wooten’s long standing history of arson crimes:
“My investigation revealed Wooten to be South Carolina’s most prolific serial arsonist and she has already proven that she will commit these acts of arson again since she re-offended after spending years in prison.”
Wooten’s case was prosecuted by 11th Circuit Deputy Solicitor Suzanne Mayes.

Judge Walton J. McLeod IV presided over proceedings last week, which included multiple violent crime cases: 
• Anthony Fanning, 38, received the maximum sentence of 20 years for Assault and Battery of a High and Aggravated Nature. This crime is a “no parole” offense under South Carolina law.
On the afternoon of Dec. 3, 2018, Fanning was operating a motorcycle and fired shots into a traveling Hyundai Sonata vehicle on I-26 which severely injured a female occupant. During the apparent rage incident, Fanning fired a pistol which struck the driver’s side of the car multiple times. 3 adults and 3 small children were inside the Hyundai. There were several 911 callers who witnessed the event and 1 driver actually followed the motorcycle driven by Fanning to I-77 before losing sight due to the motorcycle’s high speed.
The mother of the children was critically injured and sustained injuries requiring surgeries to her skull, forehead, left eye, and jaw area. Several bullet fragments remain in her skull that doctors were unable to remove. The children were uninjured, although 1 bullet hit a baby car seat.
This case was prosecuted by 11th Circuit Senior Assistant Solicitor Angela G. Martin.
• Michael Matthew Nowinski, 27, was sentenced to 20 years after pleading guilty to Armed Robbery, 2 counts of Kidnapping, Burglary – 2nd degree, and Possession of a Weapon during Commission of a Violent Crime. This crime is a “no parole” offense under SC law.
On Aug. 18, 2019, Nowinski committed a burglary of a residence located on Greenwood Drive in the West Columbia area of Lexington County. He was armed with a shotgun and struck 3 victims inside the residence while demanding the safe. After being apprehended by law enforcement, Nowinski made statements admitting to his involvement in the crime.

This case was handled by 11th Circuit Assistant Solicitor Sutania Fuller.