A west Charlotte lounge is now a burned-out shell after investigators say a former customer came back twice with Molotov cocktails in late April. Court filings name 28-year-old James Thomas Johnson of Tacoma, Washington, as the suspect. He was arrested near the scene and faces a stack of arson and weapons charges. Staff told police the conflict started after security escorted Johnson out over an alleged harassment incident.
According to The Charlotte Observer, court documents say fires were reported April 18 and April 24 at the Garden Bar and Lounge on Tuckaseegee Road. The affidavit alleges that about 30 minutes after Johnson was removed on April 18, a Molotov cocktail hit the building and caused only minor damage. The next morning, someone allegedly taped a note to the door threatening to "fireball" the business until a cook was fired. The affidavit cites surveillance video and staff identification as key pieces of evidence for investigators.
The bar's operator, who goes by Trey, told WSOC that the April 24 blaze gutted the business and damaged a vehicle. He said he had poured "hundreds of thousands of dollars" into the place. WSOC also reports a GoFundMe has been launched to help staff cover costs while Trey figures out if and how he can rebuild.
WCCB reports the second fire, called in just after 5 a.m. on April 24, was started with multiple Molotov cocktails and caused extensive damage to the building and a parked car. Officers arrested a man they saw walking nearby while firefighters were still working the scene. According to court documents cited by WCCB, the suspect has denied any role in the fires.
Charges and legal exposure
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police and court paperwork list charges that include two counts of malicious damage by use of an incendiary device and two counts of possession of a weapon of mass destruction, along with multiple counts tied to burning commercial and personal property. The Charlotte Observer reports investigators estimate about $90,000 in damage from the April 24 fire and say surveillance footage and staff identifications helped build the case.
Under North Carolina law, malicious incendiary damage to occupied property is a felony, and possession of certain explosive devices classed as weapons of mass death is also criminalized. The state’s General Assembly spells out the details in G.S. 14-49.1 and G.S. 14-288.8.
Owner and neighborhood impact
The owner says the business is a total loss and that staff members are scrambling in the aftermath of the April 24 blaze. WSOC reports Trey hopes to rebuild but warns the setback is severe. Court dates are still pending as authorities process evidence and the case moves through Mecklenburg County’s system.
