Arson arraignment slated

A Mountain Home man accused of breaking into a local supermarket and setting fires inside the building is due to appear in district court next week.

During his court appearance March 20, James D. Greenfield waived his right to a preliminary hearing regarding the felony charges.

Greenfield is scheduled for an arraignment the morning of April 1 after Judge David Epis bound him over to the Fourth District Court to face counts of first-degree arson, burglary and malicious injury to property.

Greenfield stands accused of breaking into the local grocery store the morning of Jan. 27 and setting at least four small fires inside the building.

Security cameras in the store captured images of the alleged suspect at the time of the crimes. Greenfield surrendered to police later that day, stating he was the "person of interest" in these images.

Police officers and firefighters responded to the local grocery store at the corner of South 2nd East and East Jackson streets just before 2 a.m. Jan. 27. According to a police statement, a store employee reported that the glass entrance door was broken out.

There was smoke coming from inside the store as officers arrived on scene. Officers entered the store and determined no one was inside.

From the time they arrived on scene, it took firefighters about six minutes to extinguish the four fires intentionally set inside the building. Materials inside the store were apparently used to start the fires, according to Mountain Home assistant fire chief Bud Corbus.

At least one blaze was started by the bakery department with others located near the front registers and the rear of the store.

In addition to the smoke and broken front door, there was significant damage to merchandise and equipment around the customer service area. The display cases in the store's deli and bakery departments were also shattered during the crime.

During initial questioning, Greenfield allegedly told police investigators that he was intoxicated at the time of the incident, according to Police Sgt. Rick Viola, a spokesman with the city police department. Store managers had not reported to police whether anything was taken from the local business during the incident, he added.

First-degree arson carries with it a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000. Burglary is punishable by one to 10 years in the state prison. Felony charges of malicious injury to property include a minimum of one year in prison not to exceed five years in confinement along with a fine of up to $1,000.

Information presented at last week's hearing indicated that the county prosecutor's office had offered a deal with Greenfield's attorney to reach a settlement in connection with the alleged crimes.