UPDATE: Man accused of threatening Penticton city hall staff arrested after garage fire

PENTICTON – The same man arrested after threatening voicemail messages were left at Penticton city hall is in custody following an early morning fire at this home.

Police and Penticton firefighters responded to a garage fire around 5:48 a.m., Nov. 6, at 112 – 2990 South Main St.

Penticton RCMP Cpl. Don Wrigglesworth says a 39-year-old man was taken into custody at the scene after allegedly setting his car on fire. The flames spread to the garage.

The man arrested in connection with the fire is the same man taken into custody and released Nov. 4 after threatening voicemail messages were left at Penticton city hall. RCMP said the suspect's power had been cut off by the city. Earlier this week he underwent a psychological assessment and was released to appear in court next month on a charge of uttering threats.

Wrigglesworth says police are also liaising with community mental health workers.

“There is a male currently in RCMP cells facing a potential charge of arson to endanger life,” he says in a media release. “The police will be taking all possible steps to ensure this male remains in custody so that he will no longer have the ability to harm or endanger others.”

Wrigglesworth say investigators are interviewing witnesses and working with the fire department to conduct an examination of the scene of the fire.

Any witnesses who have not yet spoken with the police are asked to call Const. Layne Morris at the Penticton RCMP detachment at 250-492-4300.

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To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

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Steve Arstad

I have been looking for news in the South Okanagan - SImilkameen for 20 years, having turned a part time lifelong interest into a full time profession. After five years publishing a local newsletter, several years working as a correspondent / stringer for several local newspapers and seven years as editor of a Similkameen weekly newspaper, I joined iNFOnews.ca in 2014. My goal in the news industry has always been to deliver accurate and interesting articles about local people and places. My interest in the profession is life long - from my earliest memories of grade school, I have enjoyed writing.
As an airborne geophysical surveyor I travelled extensively around the globe, conducting helicopter borne mineral surveys.
I also spent several years at an Okanagan Falls based lumber mill, producing glued-wood laminated products.
As a member of the Kaleden community, I have been involved in the Kaleden Volunteer Fire Department for 22 years, and also serve as a trustee on the Kaleden Irrigation District board.
I am currently married to my wife Judy, of 26 years. We are empty-nesters who enjoy living in Kaleden with our Welsh Terrier, Angus, and cat, Tibbs.
Our two daughters, Meagan and Hayley, reside in Richmond and Victoria, respectively.

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