Man Accused Of Setting Fire At Salvation Army Thrift Shop

SAN DIEGO, CA — An arson fire caused an estimated $35,000 worth of damage to a Midway district thrift store Tuesday and left the man who allegedly started the blaze behind bars.

The non-injury blaze erupted outside the Salvation Army shop in the 3200 block of Sports Arena Boulevard shortly before 4:30 a.m., according to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.

It took crews about a half-hour to extinguish the flames, which gutted a semi-trailer full of donated goods and resulted in minor smoke and water damage to the adjacent store, SDFRD Capt. Joe Amador said.

Shortly after the blaze broke out, police took a man into custody in the area for questioning, Officer Travis Easter said. The detainee, 38-year-old Johnnie Ray McNeil, was later arrested on suspicion of arson and booked into San Diego Central Jail.

McNeil was being held on $150,000 bail pending arraignment, scheduled for Thursday afternoon.

— City News Service

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