$300,000 Bond Set for Employee that Set Fred’s Dermott Fire
May 26th, 2012 by Joe Burgess
A 28-year-old Dermott resident has been arrested for the arson fire at Dermott’s Fred’s discount store. Twelve area fire departments battled the blaze for two days last weekend during the annual Dermott Crawfish Festival.
Judge Gibson set Jeremy Ray Lewis’ bond at $300,000 for starting the fire. After all store employees were questioned, the investigation began to focus on Lewis ( Fred’s employee.)
Prosecuting attorney Thomas Deen has charged Lewis with Causing a Catastrophe (covering the arson) and Aggravated Assault.
Dermott Police Dept., Arkansas State Police, and Chicot County Sheriff’s Dept. along with all of the firefighters and other first responders, deserve appreciation for their efforts.
Lewis reportedly is being held at the Delta Regional Jail Unit.
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Local Fire Depts. Respond to Fred’s Fire in Dermott
May 19, 2012
Saturday afternoon, during the annual Dermott Crawfish Festival, Dermott’s only full-line discount store, Fred’s, caught fire.
According to sources, 12 southeast Arkansas fire depts. responded to the blaze, which was described as a “total loss”
Collins-Cominto was paged out to assist, and the Monticello Fire Dept. also responded.
Collins-Cominto fought the blaze until after midnight, and returned to the station at 1 am, Sunday; only to be paged out again at 5:30, to return to Dermott.
MLive was told some local law enforcement officers are also providing security, but to the fire coinciding with the Crawfish Festival.
Thanks to a MLive reader for sending the photos.
I’m grateful that no one was hurt but please give credit to all the departments involved…..it was not just colins/cominto. Lake Village, Mcghee, Haley, Monticello, and several others including a representative of the fire academy. Please give all fire departments the respect that they deserve.
Absolutely horrible! why would anyone do something like this! Why? What is wrong with people today?
all the lives put in danger, all the propertys that could have been lost, all the jobs that were lost in an area that has very little left to loose… i think the bond wqas set too low!
Thank God no one was injured and a HUGE thank you to all the firefighters and first responders that responded to Dermott’s grave need. I can’t believe someone would have such a blatent disregard for human life and so many in danger. I hope that justice is served for this monster!! Dermott suffered an extreme loss last Saturday and so many lost their jobs. Hopefully, Dermott can rise above it all.
i dont see what drives someone to do some thing so craze puting so miny lives at risk
HE DIDNT HAVE TO DO THAT HIS A** SHOULD GET LIFE WHY IS BECAUSE HE KNEW WE DONT HAVE NOMORE FREDS SO HE SHOULD GET ALOT OF TIME IM MISS FREDS I HOPE NEAR THE FURTURE IT WILL BE REBUILD THANK GOD DIDNT NOBODY GET HURT & TO ALL THE FIREFIGHTERS DERMOTT POLICE DEPARTMENT WANTS TO THANK U FOR ALL U HAVE DONE & I HOPE THE PEOPLE THAT WORKED THERE WILL FINE ANOTHER JOB SOON ALL U FREDS PEOPLE KEEP U ALL HEAD UP & PRAY
There is no need to judge a person by their actions. You never know what a person is going through. Jeremy is not a monster, he is a nice person. Only GOD CAN JUDGE!!! Jeremy your family still love u no matter what.
its easy to judge someone that you obviously dont know. my brother is not like that all i dont know what was going through his mind at the moment. my brother is a good person with a big heart. who do you people think yall are to Judge him. some of you people have alot of nerves. its a couple of people that know him and used to be all in his face when he was out now you’re talking bull. Same way you’re Judging Jeremy YOU TO WILL BE JUDGE so good luck with that..
FREE JEREMY RAY LEWIS YOUR SISTER LOVES YOU