A Cheyenne transient is behind bars after purportedly setting a man on fire and threatening him with a knife, police say.

Public Information Officer Alex Farkas says the alleged incident occurred around 1:15 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 14, at Martin Luther King Jr. Park.

Farkas says the victim was reportedly sleeping in the park and woke up to find 54-year-old Kenneth Potter standing over him setting him on fire.

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"The victim began to stand up and dropped a knife which (Potter) grabbed and threatened him with," said Farkas.

Farkas says the victim suffered severe burns and was taken to Cheyenne Regional Medical Center for treatment.

Potter, who police found in the park with a knife and lighters on him, was arrested and subsequently charged with aggravated assault and battery threatened with a drawn deadly weapon.

Potter is currently being held in the Laramie County Detention Center on a $10,000 cash bond. His preliminary hearing is set for Aug. 22 at 9:30 a.m.

A GoFundMe page had been set up to help the victim "find housing and deal with medical costs and potential therapy while recovering," but the organizer took it down.

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