Suspected arsonist charged for Western Hwy. fire

Belize City police have arrested and charged one man following Friday’s fire on the Western Highway. According to police, thirty five year old Honduran Jose Alfredo Reyes, was living in the building without the owner’s permission and intentionally set fire to the structure. As a result, Reyes was today charged with arson. When he appeared before Chief Magistrate Margaret Gabb today, the prosecution objected to bail, calling Reyes a flight risk. Gabb agreed and the defendant was remanded to Hattieville Prison until January twenty-ninth. The house at mile four and half on the Western Highway belongs to businessman Louis Leslie but was being rented by Sherilee Mangar at the time. The Mangar family noticed black smoke coming from the house around seven Friday morning but could not control the ensuing fire. A security guard in the area managed to detain a man seen jumping from the building shortly after the fire started.