North Country This Week

CANTON – The man being charged with a knife assault in Norfolk on Friday might now also be charged with arson on top of other felony charges in connection with a fire that seriously damaged the Dairy Queen in August.

Cody W. Horrocks, 20, of Norfolk, was sent to the St. Lawrence County jail on $250,000 bail after being charged with one count of first-degree assault and one count of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

She was first transported to Canton-Potsdam Hospital and later, due to the severity of her injuries, transferred via LifeNet to Syracuse, where she was last reported in stable condition.

At about 7:48 a.m. Friday, Jan. 11, troopers State Police responded to 685 County Route 38 – the Plum Brook Road -- for a report of an assault.

Horrocks had been charged Aug. 8, 2018 with third-degree burglary and fourth-degree grand larceny in connection with a fire Aug. 5 that extensively damaged the Dairy Queen on Gouverneur Street in Canton where Horrocks had been employed.

Now, in addition to those charges and the new assault charges, state fire authorities have determined that the August fire was arson, opening the door to fresh felony charges against Horrocks.

Canton Police Chief James Santimaw and St. Lawrence County District Attorney Gary Pasqua say the state Office of Fire Prevention and Control has officially reported that the fire that burned the Dairy Queen was determined to have been arson.

Pasqua also confirms that a St. Lawrence County grand jury has heard that evidence and could put forward new charges against Horrocks.