Lancaster arsonist caught at Myrtle Beach, gets 10 years prison

A Lancaster arsonist who did not show up for his trial this week yet was convicted anyway has been caught at the beach and will start to serve a 10-year sentence for burning down a store last year.

Coy Lamar Knight Jr., 57, was arrested after the fire destroyed the Old Mill Grocery Store near Lancaster in October of 2014 when video surveillance that firefighters were able to salvage from the scene showed him spraying fire accelerant on the building, said Randy Newman, 6th Circuit Solicitor.

Knight showed up and was set for trial Monday but flooding canceled court statewide. Knight failed to show up Tuesday and Wednesday for the trial.

Prosecutors convicted Knight in his absence, and Thursday police at Myrtle Beach found Knight had fled to the coast. Coy Knight was brought back for sentencing Friday.

This story was originally published October 10, 2015 at 9:26 AM with the headline "Lancaster arsonist caught at Myrtle Beach, gets 10 years prison."