KINGSTON – A Hurley man
pled guilty in Ulster County Court to a charge of arson in connection
with a fire at the Super 8 Motel on Washington Avenue in Kingston on January
2.
Dennis Stokes, 37, was alone in the room and refused to let police in
and threatened to “come out blazing” and kill others with
him. During the incident, Stokes threatened police with what appeared
to be a handgun, later to be determined as a BB gun.
The standoff at room 241 lasted several hours while officers took positions
of safety on the ground and nearby buildings and attempted to negotiate
with Stokes.
Shortly after 5 p.m., Stokes sprayed lighter fluid in the room and set
it on fire. The smoke and flames caused Stokes to jump from the second
story window of the motel onto the ground, where he was apprehended.
Kingston City Police along with the Kingston Fire Department, Ulster County
Sheriff’s Office Emergency Response Team, and the State Police.
