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Man sentenced to prison in fire at Michigan ski resort

Posted at 11:25 AM, Feb 28, 2017
and last updated 2017-02-28 11:25:41-05

HARBOR SPRINGS, Mich. (AP) — A man who authorities say ran from a security guard and sprayed a fire extinguisher at him during a major fire at a northern Michigan ski resort has been sentenced to up to 20 years in prison.

Thirty-one-year-old David Soltysiak of Petoskey learned his punishment Tuesday. He earlier pleaded no contest to second-degree arson and felonious assault. A no-contest plea isn’t an admission of guilt, but is treated as such for sentencing.

The sentence includes a minimum of 13 years and 3 months in prison.

Twelve people were injured Dec. 11 at Boyne Highlands. Soltysiak says he has no memory of events leading up to or immediately after the fire. The Petoskey News-Review reports authorities say he used alcohol and drugs before starting the fire in a room.