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Pocono News Section
Glass Bar Owner Charged with Arson
Glass Bar Owner Charged with Arson - Wednesday, April 1, 2009 at 4:54PM EST
EDWARDSVILLE, LUZERNE COUNTY -- Police say it was the owner of The Glass Bar here who set fire to the business in October. Leo Yerashunas faces felony charges of arson and reckless endangerment.
A neighboring business's surveillance camera captures Yerashunas leaving the bar at 3:30am October 30th. Police say three minutes later, smoke could be seen coming from the building.
Police say an insurance policy worth more than a half million dollars was likely Yerashunas's motive for starting the fire. His coverage was set to drop by nearly half the following month.
"I made the comment to him that day that he wasn't going to get his insurance money because we'd look at our video and see him," said Jennifer Shumbris, manager of Swizzle Stick, the neighboring bar. "He actually came back the next day and asked if our cameras could see in that direction and if they could get a license plate."
Yerashunas spoke to us the day after the fire, saying, "It's unbelievable because when I got married, we lived upstairs and raised six children."
Five months later, he said nothing coming out of court. He faces felony charges of arson and reckless endangerment, among others, but his attorney says he'll plead not guilty.
Even though the case could go on, police and those at Swizzle Stick say they have come closure.
"It's been a long investigation," said Sgt. Hal Bond, Edwardsville Police. "But it's all over, it came to an end, and that's it."
"Yeah, it definitely brings closure and will help the Edwardsville community rebuild," added Shumbris.
Yerashunas is free on $50,000 unsecured bail, and he's due back in court next week. | | |
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