Police have arrested a person suspected of setting fire to the abandoned former popular country bar in Mission Valley on Christmas Day, it was announced Thursday.
Police identified the suspect as Joel Humphrey, 47. He was arrested on Dec. 31 for, "recklessly starting a fire to the abandoned business," San Diego Police said.
The blaze was reported on Christmas Day just before 10 a.m. at 5373 Mission Center Road.
Video from the scene showed orange flames coming from the building, and black smoke billowing into the sky could be seen from nearby streets, and Interstate 8 and Interstate 15.
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In late October, the former country bar — which has been closed since 2018 — and the building next to it caught fire. Viewers as far south as Bankers Hill called NBC 7 to report smells of smoke. Fire crews remained at the scene for more than 10 hours.
"We didn't go inside because the structure was limited and compromised from the fire before," SDFD Battalion Chief Craig Newell said Wednesday.
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Instead, fire crews let the structure burn and focused on protecting the surrounding buildings.
No one was inside the building and no one was hurt, fire officials said. Crews stayed on the scene for a couple of hours to make sure the flames were completely out.
San Diego Police said Humphrey is not believed to be connected to the October fire. That incident is still under investigation.
Anyone with information is requested to call the Metro Arson Strike Team at 619-236-6815 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.
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