Published: May 12, 2009 09:00 pm      

NEW - South Carolina man must pay for Seven Springs chalet he set on fire

GREENSBURG — A South Carolina man must pay for a chalet he set on fire near near Seven Springs Mountain Resort in 1996.

Forty-five-year-old Brian Ankney, who now lives in Swansea, S.C., pleaded guilty Monday to the fire.

Police say two female friends kicked him out of a chalet on Jan. 31, 1999, while he was wearing only swim trunks. Police say he broke into a nearby chalet to get out of the cold then set a fire to warm up that grew out of control and destroyed the building.

Ankney had moved to South Carolina in 1998 while disputing the charges.

He was sentenced to six months in jail, but immediately paroled so he can work to pay off the unspecified damage debt.