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            Man allegedly sets brother's pants on fire
            By Jeff Wilford 

            RACINE - Jimmy D. Carey yelled at his brother, accusing him of 
            sleeping with his pregnant girlfriend behind his back. Then he 
            squirted his brother's pants with lighter fluid and set them on 
fire.

            Carey, 28, 1231 Marquette St., No. 3, was charged Monday with 
            attempted first-degree murder and three counts of first-degree 
            recklessly endangering safety, all as a habitual offender. If 
            convicted, he could face up to 121½ years in prison and $75,000 in 
            fines.

            Carey told police he was high and drunk at the time of the attack 
            Saturday night. He had smoked an unknown number of marijuana and 
            crack cocaine cigarettes, and drank a bottle of liquor.

            According to Racine County Circuit Court records, Carey and his 
            brother, Joshua Cook, were staying with Carey's girlfriend. Carey 
            came home and started yelling at Cook, and accused Cook of sleeping 
            with his girlfriend. The more Cook denied it, the more agitated 
            Carey became. 




            "Hold on a sec, you think I'm playing with you?" Carey asked Cook 
            just before he grabbed a bottle of lighter fluid, according to court 
            records. "I'll kill you. I done beat three murder trials already, 
            and I'll kill you, too."

            Carey squirted the lighter fluid onto Cook's pants.

            "Tell me, tell me you think I'm playing," Carey said. He lit Cook's 
            pants on fire.

            The first two times, Cook patted out the fire on his pants, 
            according to court records. Carey told him not to "put out my fire," 
            and the third time Cook hesitated. When he did try to pat out the 
            fire, it was too late.

            Cook, screaming, took off his pants and shoes and ran out the back 
            door. He showed up at a neighbor's apartment, suffering burns and in 
            shock. The fire spread to the floor but was put out.

            Carey's girlfriend and two children, ages 6 and 7, were in the 
            apartment when Carey set Cook's pants on fire.

            Cook received second- and third-degree burns to both of his legs. 
            His hair and eyelashes were also singed, according to court records. 
            He was being treated at the Columbia St. Mary Regional Burn Center 
            in Milwaukee, a hospital spokeswoman said. She would not release his 
            condition.

            Cook originally told the police that his burns were accidental; that 
            he knocked an open bottle of lighter fluid off the refrigerator 
            while he was smoking, according to court records. He later admitted 
            that wasn't true, but said he didn't want to press charges against 
            Carey.

            When Carey appeared before a court commissioner Monday, he was 
            ordered held in the Racine County Jail on $50,000 cash bond. A 
            preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 21. 


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