Trial of woman accused of setting husband on fire begins today

A Keavy woman who allegedly set her husband on fire after finding him in a car with another woman in 2017 is scheduled to go to trial today in Laurel Circuit Court.

Vera Rosanne Wooton, 42, is charged with one count of first-degree assault in connection with the incident on Aug. 7, 2017 that resulted in John Wooton being admitted to the burn center in Cincinnati, Ohio with injuries that left him in critical condition.

“He is burned from his knees to his neck,” said Laurel County Sheriff’s Deputy Gilbert Acciardo, the department’s public affairs officer.

According to police, the couple had been arguing at their residence on Paris Karr Road off of West City Dam Road.

At some point in the argument, John Wooton was doused with gasoline.

After a verbal confrontation between the women, police say the other woman drove away, but seconds later, she saw John Wooton erupt in flames.

The woman called 911.

“We have an emergency, the woman down the street just set her husband on fire,” the woman told the dispatcher adding seconds later that the flames were reaching his head and that he was running around.

Remnants of John Wooton’s clothing, including his shoes and the smoldering shirt, were left lying outside the trailer that neighbors said the couple was refurbishing.

Acciardo said it was Vera Wooton that drove her husband to Saint Joseph – London Hospital.

Deputies located Vera Wooton at Saint Joseph and brought her to the sheriff’s office to conduct an interview.

“The gist of the information that she gave to deputies was that it was an accident,” Acciardo said previously.

A Laurel County grand jury indicted Vera Wooton later that month.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Jackie Steele said he anticipates the trial taking two to three days.

Under Kentucky law, first-degree assault is a Class B felony, carrying a potential prison sentence of 10 to 20 years.