Olathe man is sentenced for setting fire and firing shots as firefighters arrived

A 59-year-old Olathe man convicted of attempting to kill emergency responders after setting a house on fire last year was sentenced Thursday to 15 years and four months in prison.

A Johnson County jury found William J. Outhet Jr. guilty in March of attempted first-degree murder and arson.

On Thursday, District Judge Brenda Cameron sentenced him to 165 months on the murder count and 19 months for the arson. She ordered the sentences to run consecutively.

Shots were fired from inside a burning house as firefighters and police officers responded to the Feb. 1, 2013, fire in the 1400 block of Martway Drive.

Firefighters rescued Outhet after they found him unconscious with a shotgun across his chest. Other firearms and ammunition were discovered in other areas of the house, according to testimony.

Assistant District Attorney Samantha Shannon asked Cameron to impose the 184-month sentence, the maximum under state guidelines.

Deputy district defender Zach Thomas asked instead for a 59-month sentence. He also asked the judge to consider granting probation. He argued that there was no evidence that Outhet had tried to fire toward first responders. He also noted that Outhet had no prior criminal history.

This story was originally published May 1, 2014 at 5:20 PM with the headline "Olathe man is sentenced for setting fire and firing shots as firefighters arrived."