Jockey Sylvester Carmouche III Held On Attempted Murder, Arson Charges

Jockey Sylvester Carmouche III was charged on four counts of attempted murder in Martinsburg, W.Va., on Wednesday, according to the Hagerstown, Md., Herald-Mail. The 32-year-old is accused of setting fire to a house inhabited by a girl friend, three children and a dog. No one was injured. The criminal charges against Carmouche also include arson and cruelty to animals, the paper reports.

He is being held at Eastern Regional Jail near Martinsburg on $2,265,000 bond.

The fire, contained in the basement of the home, was reported Tuesday night at 11:18 p.m. According to the published report, Carmouche and the woman were arguing early and the fire was detected some time after she told him to leave the residence. Carmouche was picked up by police during a traffic stop shortly after the fire was reported.

Carmouche was named on one mount Thursday night at Charles Town races in West Virginia. He has had two losing mounts this year and was winless in 26 rides in 2014. The third generation jockey's best year in the saddle came in 2007 when he rode 96 winners from 720 mounts. He has 460 wins from 4141 mounts, according to Equibase.

Read more at Herald-Mail