The Fernandina Beach Police Department reports that John Sallas faces charges not only for allegedly setting a fire at Sliders Seaside Grill, but also for other incidents of arson throughout the city.
FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. — Authorities have announced the arrest of a man suspected of igniting a fire at Sliders Seaside Grill in June. According to the Fernandina Beach Police Department, the arrest took place on Tuesday.
The police department says John Sallas is not only accused of committing arson at Sliders Seaside Grill, but at other places in the city as well.
The fire at the popular beachfront restaurant known for its lively atmosphere and ocean views, started around 1 a.m. on June 20.
Footage captured by surveillance cameras, and acquired by First Coast News, depicts an individual entering the restaurant through a side door. The restaurant conveyed that the suspect proceeded to ignite several fires within the premises, targeting areas such as the employee stairwell and a patio umbrella.
General Manager Cason Zylinski said the fire department responded quickly after the restaurant’s sprinkler system and alarms went off. She added the suspect didn’t seem familiar with his surroundings or where he was going.
“It seems as though he was kind of a fluke incident, maybe a stranger from across the street or maybe someone that’s had too much to drink,” Zylinski said. “It seems as though he was kind of a fluke incident, maybe a stranger from across the street or maybe someone that’s had too much to drink.”
“I can’t believe someone did that to a restaurant that everybody goes to, so it was definitely a shocker,” Fernandina Beach resident Andrew Fenzl previously told First Coast News.
The police department says the investigation into the incident remains active.
