National

Charges laid in fatal Prince George motel blaze

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 20 Sep, 2021 12:47 PM

PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. - Charges have been laid in connection with a fire that killed three people at a motel in Prince George, B.C.

RCMP say 35-year-old Justin Aster is charged with three counts of criminal negligence causing death and two arson-related offences.

Court documents show he is well known to police and made his first appearance at a court in Williams Lake on Friday, when he was ordered to remain in custody until his next date on Thursday.

Three people died in the fast-moving blaze at the Econo Lodge Motel on July 8, 2020.

Several guests of the downtown motel narrowly escaped when flames broke out just before 9 a.m.

Cpl. Jennifer Cooper called the deaths tragic and says officers are proud to have brought a suspect forward to the courts in connection with the fire.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Overdose deaths in B.C. top 1,000 in six months

The coroner says in a statement the powerful opioid fentanyl was involved in 85 per cent of deaths. Lapointe says the data released today highlights the immensity of the public health emergency.

Overdose deaths in B.C. top 1,000 in six months

B.C. wildfires drop to 225 as weather cools

Emergency Management BC says there were 21 evacuation orders covering 3,754 properties as of Monday evening, a drop from 3,927 properties the day before.

B.C. wildfires drop to 225 as weather cools

Hundreds with links to Canada still in Afghanistan

Canada and other allies are pushing the Taliban to allow anyone with valid travel documents to leave Afghanistan, Garneau said, with hopes the Kabul airport will soon reopen under civilian control.

Hundreds with links to Canada still in Afghanistan

Economy recovering but some sectors weak: Trudeau

Statistics Canada is reporting that the economy contracted at an annualized rate of 1.1 per cent between April and June, and estimates another drop in real gross domestic product in July.

Economy recovering but some sectors weak: Trudeau

New COVID-19 modelling numbers coming in B.C.

On Monday, the province reported seven more deaths and 1,853 new cases of COVID-19 diagnosed over a three-day period from Friday to Monday. From Friday to Saturday, there were 769 cases, but the number dropped to 503 on Sunday to Monday.

New COVID-19 modelling numbers coming in B.C.

O'Toole, Singh campaign denounce protesters

The leader's warning came one day after several Conservative campaign workers were spotted among a crowd of raucous protesters who forced the cancellation of a Liberal event featuring Justin Trudeau in Bolton, Ont.