RIVERSIDE: Store owner accused of repeatedly trying to burn rival out of business
RIVERSIDE – Police officials announced the arrests of three subjects allegedly involved in a string of arson fires that have been occurring at a liquor store in Riverside. The fires, which have been in the news repeatedly since January, were set at ‘Sunny Liquor’, located at 4810 Tyler Street in the City of Riverside.
The fires were set on Jan. 3, March 4, April 27, and most recently on Nov. 11. The store’s surveillance system captured footage of each of the fires being set, as well as two men reported to be Simmons and Ramirez and setting the fires.
The arson fires included throwing ‘Molotov cocktails’ at and on top of the building and pouring a flammable substance along the front of the business and lighting it on fire. The business, which is one of several businesses located in a strip mall, suffered exterior and interior damage during the incidents.
Following a joint investigation by the Riverside Police and Fire Departments, police officials arrested Munir ‘Mark’ Hawara, 49, of Moreno Valley, Willis Lee Simmons, 42, of Riverside, and Randy Allen Ramirez, 33, also of Riverside.
Simmons was arrested Tuesday, Nov. 22 and Hawara was arrested Wednesday, Nov. 23. Both were booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center. Ramirez, who was already in-custody on an unrelated case, was arrested Nov. 23, at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility and re-booked into jail.
All three suspects were booked into jail for charges that include arson and conspiracy.
During their investigation officials determined that Hawara, the owner and operator of ‘Tyler Market’, which is located at 4773 Tyler Street, across the intersection from ‘Sunny Liquor’, paid Simmons and Ramirez money to burn down the neighboring, competing liquor store. Despite at least four attempts, their efforts were not successful.
The two liquor stores are located across from each other at the intersection of Tyler Street and Wells Avenue in Riverside.
As part of the investigation, officers from the Riverside Police Department’s Vice Unit and officials from California’s Alcohol Beverage Control also conducted an inspection of Hawara’s business and will follow-up on possible administrative business sanctions.
A jail record search revealed all three men were booked on suspicion of conspiracy and four counts of arson and all three are scheduled to be arraigned at Riverside’s Hall of Justice Nov. 29.
Hawara is being held in lieu of $1 million dollars bail, Simmons is being held in lieu of $220,000 bail, and Ramirez is being held without bail.
Anyone with information about this investigation and the arson fires should contact Riverside police officials at (951) 826-5700. Callers can remain anonymous.
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Trevor Montgomery spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg in an off-duty accident.
During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including the Robert Presley Detention Center, the Southwest Station in Temecula, the Hemet Station, and the Lake Elsinore Station, along with many other locations.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, Personnel and Background Investigations and he finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator.
Trevor has been married for more than 26 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and has 13 children and 12 – soon to be 13 – grandchildren.