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Terry Dorsey, accused of arson, due in court Wednesday
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BATON ROUGE - One of three individuals accused of intentionally setting a string of fires at businesses across Baton Rouge are due in court Wednesday.
At 11:30 a.m., 21-year-old Terry Dorsey will appear before a judge for a detention hearing.
Due to a request for changed representation, Dorsey did not have his time in court on Monday (June 15) like his alleged accomplices, 22-year-old Shamyrin Johnson, and 22-year-old Kenyatta Huggins, who happens to be Dorsey's sister.
The three told authorities social media images and messages related to the current protests against racial inequality motivated them to start four fires in the capital city.
One of the blazes caused $300,000 in damage, investigators said. In some fires, arsonists had poured diesel fuel onto tires and set them ablaze.
The first fire set was late Sunday, May 31, on Fieldstone Drive at Tai Industries, which makes custom millwork. About seven hours later, another fire was set at Autozone, located at 11554 Airline Hwy.
The next fires, both at tire shops, were set early Tuesday, June 2. The first, at Tiger Tire Shop at 4415 Plank Rd., was reported before 1 a.m. Tuesday. The fire department estimated the value of the building and its contents at $1 million. Arrest documents say the fire caused $300,000 in damage.
Less than two hours later, firefighters heading to a different fire saw smoke coming from AAA Tire Shop at 6160 Airline. That fire was set to a storage trailer behind the building and caused about $5,000 in damage.
Video surveillance footage was collected and reviewed, showing a four-door Toyota Camry arriving and leaving multiple fire locations. The vehicle was later seen at a gas station where one of the suspects was identified as Dorsey.
Authorities say Dorsey later confessed to setting the fires and told investigators he was assisted by Huggins and Johnson.
Arrest documents say both Huggins and Johnson later confessed to investigators that they participated in setting the fires.
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