WALTON COUNTY, Ga. — Investigators believe a fire that destroyed a building, cars, and damaged a home may be the work of a serial arsonist.
The suspect faces charges in three counties.
For the people who were there when the fire started, they told Channel 2 Gwinnett County Bureau Chief Matt Johnson that they knew it was no accident because of how quickly the flames shot up.
“The whole building was in flames, really, really big fire,” said Duncan Lowry, who was picking up kids for his afterschool karate program when the phone calls started.
Smoke was rising from the condemned building behind Patriot Karate on Atlanta Highway in Loganville.
His car was parked out front.
“I turned around and came back up here to see if I could save my car,” Lowry said.
By the time he got back that afternoon, the flames had already reached his car.
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“It burnt up pretty much the whole front end of the car. And then on the other employee, same thing. Her car’s total loss,” Lowry said.
Investigators said the fire was one of several set on March 26 by Javon Heard, 42, of Lilburn.
Loganville fire marshals ruled each fire arson and tied Heard to scenes across DeKalb and Gwinnett counties.
Another employee gave investigators a description that same day, and within hours, they knew who they were looking for.
“The other lady whose car got burned up had seen a dude kind of messing with the fire up the street,” Lowry said.
Heard is now facing first-degree arson, criminal damage and reckless conduct charges in Loganville alone.
For Lowry, the cars are replaceable. There is relief in the community because of what could have happened.
“Nobody was hurt, so I guess it could have been worse. Just a car, but it’s burned up,” Lowry said.
Heard is in the DeKalb County Jail for now and will eventually face charges in DeKalb, Walton and Gwinnett counties.