Jack B. Nimble owner arrested, charged with arson, insurance fraud
By BOB SLOAN and JOHN SWEENEY
The owner of Jack B. Nimble Children’s Clothing Store in downtown Hartsville has been arrested and charged with arson and insurance fraud.
Claudette Hulsey, 47, of 1220 Branchwood Lane, Hartsville, was arrested Thursday and charged with arson/burning personal property to defraud insurer, presenting false claim for insurance payment, making false insurance claim to obtain benefits for fire loss, and arson/third degree.
Hulsey was released on a $50,000 surety bond, issued at the request of S.C. Assistant Deputy Attorney General Heather Savitz Weiss. Weiss said Hulsey should be considered “somewhat of a danger to the community” and alleged that she not only wasted community resources—law enforcement, fire, hospital staff and emergency responders—but also put occupants in buildings adjoining the Jack B. Nimble store in danger.
“It is believed that the defendant was motivated by financial needs and personal needs and took her needs above those of the community of Hartsville,” Weiss said. “She took away from the people of Hartsville, as well as putting the people of the other stores in danger.”
Hulsey’s attorney, Jim Cox, said that given the fact the incident occurred in January and that his client had not fled during that time – also mentioning that his client has an extensive family living locally – proved that she was not a flight risk.
Two members of Hulsey’s family were present at Thursday’s hearing.
According to arrest warrants, Hulsey did commit the above offenses by setting fire to her business, causing damage to the building, store inventory and other property for financial gain.
The arrest is a result of a joint investigation conducted by SLED, the Darlington
County Sheriff’s Office and the Hartsville Police Department. The case will be prosecuted by the S.C. Attorney General’s Office.
Kathyrn Richardson, public information officer for SLED, said no other information on the arrest was available.
The incident, which took place Jan. 26, sent shockwaves through the Hartsville community.
According to a report issued by the Hartsville Police Dept. following the incident, authorities received a 911 call from Jack-be-Nimble, located at 140 East Carolina Ave., shortly after 7 p.m.
When authorities arrived they saw smoke coming from the front of the store. Police officers were able to gain entry to the store by breaking the glass front door. Once inside, they discovered the fire and the store owner partially clothed lying on the floor.
Officers pulled Hulsey to safety, the reported stated. Firefighters then worked to keep the fire from spreading.
Hulsey was transported to Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center and later released.
The day following the incident, Hartsville Police Chief Tim Kemp tendered in resignation after nine years leading the department.
On Jan. 29, in a show of support and solidarity for Hulsey, an estimated 2,000 residents joined together in a prayer chain in the sidewalks of downtown Hartsville.
Over the following weeks, the search for suspects captured the attention of Hartsville and the Pee Dee region. In an e-mail to The Hartsville Messenger on Feb. 9, Hartsville Police reported that they were following 40 leads in the case. In that same e-mail, a Hartsville Police officer stated that a criminal sexual assault kit was completed on Hulsey and submitted to SLED for analysis. The e-mail went on to state: “The initial report does show CSC as one of the crimes committed in the incident.”
The case was eventually turned over to SLED.
According to the arrest warrants released by SLED Thursday, Husley “did commit the offense of burning personal property to defraud her insurer by willfully and intentionally setting fire to her business.” The warrant states the arrest was based upon “police investigation into multiple conflicting statements by the defendant, lack of forensic evidence, a financial investigation of the defendant and medical reports not consistent with the statements of the defendant.”
In the arrest warrant for filing a false police report of a felony violation, the warrant states Hulsey called the Darlington county E 9-1-1 system from her business, stating “I’ve been robbed,” and “fire.” The warrants state that Hulsey later made a verbal statement to law enforcement indicating that she had been robbed and her store set on fire by “two unknown black males.”