Arsonist arrested, charged after Genelle home destroyed
By Castlegar Source
On Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023, at 3 a.m., frontline Trail and Greater District RCMP officers and Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue responded to a suspicious house fire that occurred in the 500 block of 16th Avenue, in Genelle, according to Trail RCMPP NCO/is Sgt. Mike Wicentowich.
Wicentowich said the home owners were inside the home sleeping at the time the fire began. Both managed to escape without injury.
Officers investigated the cause of the fire and believed it was intentionally set. During the course of the investigation, officers discovered that a 29-year-old Castlegar man had allegedly broken into the residence on two previous occasions and attempted to steal items. The man was known to the home owners.
On Friday, Dec. 1, 2023, Riley Jackson (29) of Castlegar, BC, was criminally charged with two counts of Break and Enter with Intent to Commit an Indictable Offence contrary to Section 348 of the Criminal Code.
“Trail and Greater District and Castlegar RCMP are aware about community concerns regarding fires in the Castlegar and Genelle communities over the last few months,” Wicentowich said. “We are taking this situation very seriously due to the risk to the public. A number of incidents are still under investigation and being reviewed by Crown Counsel at this time.”
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