 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
|
EYEWITNESS LOCAL NEWS
HINTON FIRES UPDATEfrom Eyewitness News Online Trial Set In May For Man Accused In Hinton Fires Reported by:  Associated PressWeb Producer: Jeff Morris Reported: Mar. 7, 2013 1:12 PM EST Updated: Mar. 12, 2013 8:54 AM EDT
Hinton, Summers County
, West Virginia
A May 22 trial is set for a man accused of setting fires that destroyed a row of apartment buildings and a house in Hinton. Billy Joe Gill of Hinton is charged with two counts of first-degree arson and two counts of attempted murder. Summers County Prosecutor Amy Mann told The Register-Herald that Circuit Judge Robert Irons denied a defense request last week for a change of venue. But Mann said the case could be moved to Monroe County if a jury can't be seated in Summers County. Both counties are part of the 31st Judicial Circuit. Gill, 25, is accused of setting a fire at a two-story house on Feb. 26. A second fire about 30 minutes later leveled five downtown apartment buildings known as Brick Row. Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. A man accused of arson and attempted murder said he's innocent. 25-year-old Billy Gill appeared in Summers County Circuit court Friday morning for his arraignment. A judge granted Gill's request for a bond reduction, but did not grant the request for a change of venue for his trial. His lawyer had requested it because of all the media attention. Gill is accused of setting a two-story building and a row of apartments on fire in Hinton. That fire nearly leveled an entire city block and left about 30 people homeless. Gill's next court appearance is in May. A Hinton man faces attempted murder charges stemming from fires that destroyed five apartment buildings and a house. Media outlets reported that the Summers County grand jury indicted Billy Joe Gill, 25, on two counts of attempted murder and two-counts of first-degree arson. The grand jury handed up the indictments Wednesday. Gill is accused of setting a fire at a two story house in Hinton about 1:25 a.m. Feb. 26. A second fire about 30 minutes later leveled the downtown apartment buildings known as Brick Row. The fires displaced about 30 people. No injuries were reported. Gill is being held on $200,000 bond in the Southern Regional Jail. Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Hinton Fire Chief Ray Pivont said five apartment buildings destroyed by a fire could smolder for days. Pivont told The Register-Herald that the four-story brick buildings collapsed into their basements. A massive amount of rubble is preventing firefighters from completely extinguishing the smoldering flames. Pivont said firefighters will have to let the flames burn out on their own. The fire occurred early Tuesday morning, about 30 minutes after a two-story house caught fire. No injuries were reported. Police charged Billy Joe Gill, 25, of Hinton with first-degree arson. Hinton Mayor Joe Blankenship says the fires left about 30 people homeless. The apartment buildings in downtown Hinton were known as Brick Row. They were built in 1905 to house railroad officials. Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. A man is facing arson charges after a massive fire tore through a Summers County apartment building early Tuesday. Police arrested Billy Gill, 25, in Hinton and charged him with two counts of first-degree arson, State fire marshals told WOAY TV. Seven different fire departments were called to the scene of two different fires, at a residence and at an apartment complex just three miles apart, in Hinton. The fires started within about 20 minutes, investigators said. The second fire destroyed 10 town houses on Temple Street. No one was injured in either fire. Nearly every volunteer firefighter in Summers County responded to the scene. "It got away from us. It got into the attic and it ran the attic and we couldn't do anything with it," Hinton Fire Department Chief Ray Pivont said. A mother of three lost everything in the fire. "I moved in five days ago. Now I don't have anything -- no clothes. What I got was on my back. Everything's gone," said Melissa Sprague, who lived in a town house on Temple Street. Neighbors are just thankful that no one was injured. "You can replace material things; you can't replace somebody's life. That's all I was worried about," Chris Fox of Hinton said. Fox said he woke up and smoke was covering his face. "I couldn't see a thing. I couldn't hardly breath. I got the baby and my girlfriend out of the house. That's all I could do," Fox said. This is the third time Fox has had to start over because of a fire. "Must have some bad luck or something, that's all I can figure," he said. Hinton police arrested Gill with the help of the West Virginia state fire marshals. Additional charges are expected to be filed against him. Gill was taken to Southern Regional Jail. MORE NEWS FROM EYEWITNESS NEWS
|
|
|
|
      |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
  
How To Contact WCHS-TV8 | Privacy Policy | FCC Public File | Terms and Conditions | DMCA Policy | Frequently Asked Questions
Home | Eyewitness News Newsroom | Storm Team Weather | Eyewitness Sports | Schedules
Send email to news@wchstv.com for information or comments concerning WCHS-TV Eyewitness News.Copyright ©2013, WCHS-TV8. Portions are Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or distributed. |