Lynchburg Police arrest Fort Ave. bridge fire suspect

By Carrie J. Sidener
Lynchburg News & Advance
Published: May 14, 2008

A Lynchburg man police believe may have set a fire that destroyed a Fort Avenue bridge last month has been arrested.

Warrants were issued for Donald Payne last week. He was arrested around 8 p.m. Monday after police found him near Wadsworth Street in Lynchburg, said Lynchburg Fire Marshall Greg Wormser. Payne is charged with malicious setting of fire capable of spreading.

If convicted of the class six felony, Payne could face up to five years in prison and possibly monetary damages, Wormser said.

Wormser said fire officials interviewed 10 to 15 people in the course of their investigation.

“We determined that Payne had been involved,” Wormser said. “He claims he didn’t set the fire at all. After speaking to the commonwealth attorney’s office, we had reasonable suspicion to charge him.”

The early morning fire that occurred in April caused the bridge at the intersection of Fort Avenue and Park Avenue to collapse and an 18-inch water main to break. It caused many customers in the area to lose water service, while others in the city experienced discolored water.