March 03--KNOXVILLE -- Two homeless men are charged with starting the McClung Warehouses fire early Feb. 1.
Joey Patrick Bryant, 32, and Robert Earl Montgomery, 60, both listed as having Knox Area Rescue Ministries as their address, are charged with arson and criminal trespass. Bryant also is charged with aggravated assault and Montgomery is charged with assault.
Montgomery and Bryant were arrested Sunday without incident, according to Knoxville Fire Department Capt. D.J. Corcoran.
Bryant was taken into custody as he showed up for work Sunday night as part of a freelance cleanup crew at Thompson Boling Arena.
According to Corcoran, Montgomery was arrested about 8:30 p.m. Sunday at a homeless camp near Oldham Avenue and Davana Street.
KFD responded to a two-alarm fire early Feb. 1 with more than 40 personnel.
According to court records, Bryant used a blue Bic lighter and "available materials" to set fire to the fourth floor of one of the two buildings on Jackson Avenue.
Bryant, Montgomery and at least one other witness were present at the time of the fire, according to records.
"Upon learning the fire was out of control, the trio exited the building and fled the area changing their clothes to alter their appearance ... (and) 'throwing away shoes to avoid detection," according to court records.
The witness was threatened with a weapon and became in fear for her safety and she was later struck that night by Bryant who also threatened her with a knife, according to court records.
Damage to the property is valued at $1.3 million, according to the court records. What was left of the historic structures was eventually torn down at a cost of $127,000.
Of the original five buildings on the site, three were destroyed by a massive fire in 2007.
Corcoran credited long hours, hard work and "a joint effort by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms, Knoxville Police Department, Knox County Fire Marshal's Office, and the Knoxville Fire Department" for the arrests.
More details as they develop online and in Tuesday's News Sentinel.
Copyright 2014 - The Knoxville News-Sentinel, Tenn.
