By Michael McKay
Lexington Herald-Leader
WINCHESTER, Ky. — A Clark County judge refused Monday to lower the $1 million bond set for a man charged with manslaughter in the deaths of his son and two other people in a Winchester apartment building fire.
Jackie Hisle Jr., 55, is accused of smoking while he was on oxygen. He pleaded not guilty in court during a Monday arraignment. He admitted to police that he was smoking and drinking near his oxygen tank when it caught fire early Friday, according to court records.
A former resident of B&P Apartments told the Herald-Leader on Friday that Hisle had been warned previously about the dangers of smoking with oxygen nearby. In his comments to police, Hisle acknowledged that he’d been previously warned, court records said.
“Everybody here has told him, ‘One of these days, you’re going to blow yourself up,’” said Johnny Hill, 28, of Winchester. “Anybody with common sense knows you don’t smoke around oxygen. He knew it because everybody in this complex told him.”
Hill was visiting friends in an apartment building next to the one that burned when he heard a “loud boom,” smelled smoke and saw the fire about 1:15 a.m. Friday.
Firefighters found intense flames and trapped residents when they arrived at the blaze on Springmist Lane.
Hisle’s son Donald, 36, Tina Reynolds, 29, and Dixie Everman, 71, died. Donald Hisle and Reynolds died of smoke inhalation.
Everman died of smoke inhalation and blunt-force trauma after she jumped from a second-story window to escape the fire.
In addition to the three killed, at least six were injured and were taken to hospitals in Lexington and Winchester. The destroyed building had about 10 apartments and 20 residents.
Judge Earl-Ray Neal rejected Hisle’s request for lower bond, saying the amount was appropriate because of the “seriousness of the allegations.”
Hisle is due back in court March 23.
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