SAN ANTONIO – A man who allegedly threatened to burn down a bar when he was tossed out by staff has been arrested after video captured him and another suspect igniting a fire, according to San Antonio police.
Booking records at the Bexar County Jail show that the man, identified as Victor Alexander Lewis, was charged with arson, a second-degree felony, following the incident in the morning hours of Feb. 20 at the Main Street Bar in the 13400 block of Wetmore Road.
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According to an arrest affidavit, the incident started around 1:30 a.m. when Lewis and other customers got into an argument.
A bartender attempted to settle the altercation, but Lewis “would not calm down” and was escorted outside, police said.
He “became increasingly belligerent” as he refused to leave and yelled profanities, the affidavit states.
Another witness who tried to calm him down told police that she heard him say he was going to “come back and burn (the building) down,” records show.
In the hours after the altercation, a fire was set to the entry doorway and the surrounding walls of the structure.
The affidavit states that a lieutenant with the San Antonio Fire Department immediately requested an arson investigator to head to the scene since there was a trail of fire damage and a lighter on the ground.
A video showed what appeared to be Lewis and another person, who has not been identified, start a fire using an ignitable liquid and a flame, the affidavit states. The two people also briefly discussed breaking into the building.
In the video, Lewis said, “we’re gonna have to jump over this when we break-in,” in which the other suspect replied “(the fire) will be enough of a message itself,” the affidavit states.
Lewis covered his head in a white T-shirt but witnesses were able to identify him based on his eyeglasses and hairstyle from the altercation, police said.
Booking records show he was arrested on Wednesday and his bond was set at $20,000.
The Main Street Bar on Feb. 21 posted on Facebook that they needed to make some repairs but were open that day.
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