Restaurant Owner Arrested for Torching His Own Business

LEVELLAND, TX – The Levelland Police Department arrested a man Wednesday morning after he admitted to burning down his own restaurant. 

According to the Hockley County News Press, on Mar. 11, an officer with the Levelland Police Department spotted the building on fire. 

Firefighters were immediately called in and extinguished the fire that fully engulfed the building. 

Later the next morning EMS personnel were called to a house located on the 200 bock Ave. E for the report of a male with severe burns. The man was taken to UMC in Lubbock and is in critical condition. The man is being identified only as one of the businesses owners. 

He told police that he and his business partner had been at the building when it caught fire. 

The other partner, Chandler McKay, 20, was then located and interviewed. During the interview detectives say that McKay's version of events didn't add up. 

LPD claims that as the interview continued, McKay informed them that he and the injured individual had ignited the fire themselves. He was arrested and transported to the Hockley County Jail for the offense arson causing bodily injury or death. As of Wednesday evening his bond had not been set.