Crime

Man charged for setting fire to Webster restaurant and attempting arson at 2 others

The man allegedly burnt down the Wind Tiki restaurant.

A view of the three-alarm fire that tore through Wind Tiki Restaurant in Webster on March 18. Webster Fire Department

By Susannah Sudborough

2 minutes to read

A Webster man is in the custody of police for allegedly setting a Webster restaurant on fire and trying to set two others on fire as well, Webster police announced Tuesday.

Joel Batista-Viera, 42, has been charged with two charges of breaking and entering with intent to commit a crime, two counts of larceny, attempting to burn a building, and burning a building, among other charges.

Police said that on Friday, March 18, at nearly 2 a.m., they were called to Wind Tiki restaurant at 154 Thompson Rd. for a report of a fire. When police arrived, an officer noticed heavy smoke from the building, as well as rolled and loose change by the back entrance.

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Fire departments from Webster and surrounding towns battled the fire for hours, police said. The fire made it up to three alarms. Meanwhile, police investigated the scene.

Around 7:30 a.m. the same day, an employee from the Mexicali Restaurant at 41 Worcester Road reported that it had apparently been broken into, police said. Evidence was discovered that indicated the building had been broken into sometime the previous night.

There was damage to the surveillance system, police said, but video surveillance footage was able to be recovered and viewed remotely. Police discovered that while the suspect was inside, he had tried to start a fire in the restaurant.

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The same morning, another attempted break-in was reported at Lake Pizza at 39 Thompson Rd. that had occurred during the night. Police said the suspect did not successfully break-in, but that surveillance footage was recovered from the scene.

Over the next few days, police said, Webster Police detectives were able to collect surveillance video from several businesses in the Thompson Road area. It was from this footage that they were able to identify a man in the Mobil gas station on Thompson Road at the time the Wind Tiki was on fire.

The same man was believed to be on the camera footage related to the Mexicali break-in and the attempted break-in at Lake Pizza. Police released pictures of the suspect to the public and later identified him as Batista-Viera. Batista-Viera turned himself in on Monday morning.

Batista-Viera was arraigned Tuesday. Police said these incidents are still under investigation and further charges are likely.

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