Eric Wade Berkenkamp, 49, pleaded guilty to first-degree felony arson after his involvement in a July 2022 house fire out of Hawkins.
WINNSBORO, Texas — A Winnsboro man pleaded guilty to Arson on Thursday.
Eric Wade Berkenkamp, 49, pleaded guilty to first-degree felony arson after his involvement in a July 2022 house fire out of Hawkins. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison and ordered to pay a $2,000 fine.
Berkenkamp also pleaded guilty to first-degree aggravated assault against a public servant with a deadly weapon and acknowledged his guilt for the offense of terroristic threat of a family or household member.
According to Wood County Sheriff’s Office, Berkenkamp damaged a residence in Hawkins by pouring gasoline throughout the house on July 27, 2022. Law enforcement arrived and attempted to detain Berkenkamp before he ran back into the residence.
Deputies observed Berkenkamp lying in a pool of gasoline. He then ignited a lighter and dropped it into the pool of gasoline he was lying in, catching a deputy’s boot on fire. Berkenkamp was taken into custody shortly after.
“The Defendant has a history of arson and violence towards law enforcement,” district attorney Angela Albers said. “His actions endangered everyone at the residence that day, and could have easily resulted in serious injury to, or the death of, police officers.”
