Three juveniles accused of setting fire outside North Fort Myers store

NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla. (WINK) — Three juveniles are accused of throwing fireworks at a North Fort Myers business, causing merchandise outside a Dollar General to catch fire, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies responded Oct. 1 to 15201 N. Cleveland Ave. after receiving several calls about three juveniles throwing fireworks at a business and setting merchandise on fire, according to probable cause affidavits. Witnesses told deputies the juveniles left in a maroon Toyota Camry, and another caller followed the vehicle to the Crossings of Cape Coral community.

At the Dollar General, deputies met with employees and learned the fire caused approximately $110 in merchandise damage, according to the affidavits. Deputies later found and detained the three juveniles in the parking lot of the Cape Coral community.

According to the affidavits, deputies reviewed store surveillance video that showed the group outside the business. Investigators said one juvenile appeared to light an object while another approached the store’s automatic doors, causing them to open. A juvenile then threw what investigators described as a glowing object toward the open doors, but it landed in a display of pillows outside the storefront.

The affidavits state that a fire formed in the pillow display and began growing. A customer removed the burning pillows from near the building before the fire spread further, while employees and others helped put it out.

Investigators said the juveniles continued through the shopping center throwing fireworks and later reached an AMC movie theater, where surveillance video showed another glowing object landing near the entrance and burning for several seconds before going out.

A Lee County Sheriff’s Office detective said there was probable cause to charge all three juveniles with throwing a deadly missile into a building, second-degree arson and criminal mischief. The detective alleged the three had planned to throw an ignited firework into the occupied business.

Juvenile court notices included in the records list those three charges and state that the juveniles were released to the custody of guardians pending further court proceedings.