I-85 Arson Suspect Posts Bond, Leaves Jail

ATLANTA, GA -- The man charged with setting a chair on fire that led to the collapse of the Interstate 85 bridge over Piedmont Road in Midtown Atlanta has been released from jail.

Basil Eleby posted a $10,000 bond Wednesday, April 19, and was able to leave the Fulton County Jail, records show.

Eleby, who is homeless, also pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges of arson in the first degree and criminal damage to property in the first degree, said Dontaye Carter, spokesperson for the Fulton County District Attorney's Office.

According to law enforcement, Eleby set an upholstered chair on fire, which ignited high-density polyetheline (HDPE) and fiberglass conduit the Georgia Department of Transportation was storing underneath the bridge.

The March 30 catastrophe led to the bridge's collapse, forcing the state to shut down the interstate in both directions between Buford Highway and the S.R. 400 interchange.

Two additional people, Sophia Brauer and Barry Thomas, were each charged with criminal trespassing in connection to the case.

Contractors working for the state hope to reopen that stretch of Interstate 85 by June 15. GDOT is also offering incentives exceeding $3 million to get the project wrapped up by mid-May.

Photo: Basil Eleby. Credit: Fulton County Jail