Subscribe 300x250 - Love

Walmart suffers severe damage after fire; suspect arrested

by | Jan 10, 2017 | Latest

Multiple fire departments battle a blaze at the Princeton Walmart after several racks of clothing was set on fire. Wyndi Veigel/C&S Media Publications

A 28-year-old man is in jail after felony arson charges were filed stemming from a fire intentionally set at Walmart in Princeton.

Jairo Briceno-Barrientos was arrested on charges of arson causing bodily injury/death, a First Degree felony.

Jairo Briceno-Barrientos

The fire occurred shortly after 1:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 9 when children’s and men’s clothing were set on fire, allegedly by Briceno-Barrientos.

An investigation into motives of Briceno-Barrientos are still under investigation by detectives as well as a total cost of damages. The suspect, according to Princeton Police Chief James Waters, recently moved to the Culleoka area from the northern United States.

According to Waters, a reconciliation report will be filed at a later date with the total amount of loss from being closed for numerous days and financial loss from food and pharmacy supplies. Due to smoke, all produce and pharmaceutical meds must be disposed of.

“We expect it to be in the millions,” he said.

This cost may be added to fines accessed by the court.

Walmart is expected to remain closed for several days, according to information released by corporate Walmart. The Walmart Wellness Day that was scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 14 has been cancelled.

Penalties for a First Degree felony include not less than five years in jail and not more than 99 and a fine not to exceed $10,000.

For more information regarding this story, see the Jan. 12 edition of The Farmersville Times.

By Wyndi Veigel • News Editor • [email protected]

Grad Profile Leaderboard

0 Comments

Related News

North Lamar smothers Farmersville

North Lamar smothers Farmersville

Farmersville junior Rileigh Blankenship (10), pictured in previous action, led the Lady Farmers with 11 points in a 57-27 loss to North Lamar in a bi-district playoff game Monday at Commerce High School. Photo by Victor Tapia / C&S Media By Evan Grice For The...

read more
Meeting highlights wartime news

Meeting highlights wartime news

The Farmersville Furlough, a wartime publication, was highlighted at the January Historical Society meeting. Despite late January’s freezing temperatures, Farmersville Historical Society members gathered to kick off a new year of event planning, fundraising and more....

read more
Cultivating family, growing dreams

Cultivating family, growing dreams

Colby and Ashley McClendon, along with their two daughters, live in Lavon. McClendon Farms has been in operation since 1887 and Colby is a sixth generation farmer. Ashley teaches at Wally Watkins Elementary in Wylie. Courtesy photo For two families in Collin County,...

read more
Local election filing deadline Feb. 14

Local election filing deadline Feb. 14

With the filing period for the May 3, 2025 Farmersville city council and FISD trustee elections nearing their deadline, not all places have received an application to be on the ballots. Two council seats are up in this election, Place 2 currently held by Russ...

read more
District may be created to fight rural fires

District may be created to fight rural fires

Battling fires such as this one in 2023 involving a mobile home in unincorporated Collin County puts a strain on local fire departments like Farmersville and Princeton. Some Collin County cities say they are running out of money to provide fire service to the 60,000...

read more
Code enforcement concerns city council

Code enforcement concerns city council

Farmersville’s code enforcement—or lack thereof—impact fees and the formation of a new tax reinvestment zone were among topics discussed at the Monday, Feb. 3 city council meeting. During the regular agenda discussion, Mayor Craig Overstreet voiced concerns about the...

read more
Subscribe 300x250 - Love