Suspected arsonist's mental competency in doubt
The 32-year-old Vallejo man arrested last month on felony warrants and on suspicion of arson in connection with an early morning blaze that damaged two Vallejo businesses faces a mental competency hearing in the coming week in Solano County Superior Court.
Criminal proceedings have been suspended for Xavier H. Williams, who appeared Wednesday in Department 23 for a readiness conference and was scheduled for a preliminary hearing today in the Justice Center in Fairfield.
During the morning proceeding, Judge John B. Ellis ordered Williams to return to court at 8:30 a.m. July 1 for the report.
Under state law, specifically Penal Code section 1368, a defendant considered unable to help in his or her defense or understand court proceedings cannot be tried. However, once they are deemed competent, criminal charges can be reinstated and the defendant can be scheduled to face more court proceedings, including a jury trial.
Williams is charged with the May 17 fire that damaged the Anchor Pantry and also damaged the Joint, a neighboring retail store.
Pleading not guilty at jail arraignment, Williams is represented by the Solano County Public Defender. He remains in custody, with bail set at $75,000, in Solano County Jail in Fairfield.
Besides the felony arson charge, Williams faces several other felony charges based on warrants, including carrying a loaded firearm, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and vandalism. He also faces a dozen misdemeanors stemming from a warrant, charges that range from contempt of court to possession of a controlled substance to petty theft.
Vallejo public safety officials reported a 3:26 a.m. dispatch call indicating the Anchor Pantry, a gourmet grocery store at 617 Marin St., was on fire.
Investigators allege that Williams lit the fire there. A short time later, he was found nearby, in the 400 block of Santa Clara Street, where he was arrested on felony warrants and the arson charge.
Vallejo Fire Department spokesperson and firefighter Aaron Klauber said that the owners of Anchor Pantry noticed that they had a ring alarm and video of a man at the front of the storefront trying to light a fire.
The fire eventually went to a second alarm, and the flames were doused in 14 minutes. The second alarm was called due to neighboring buildings with multiple floors, according to Klauber. No injuries were reported, but Anchor Pantry had most of its first floor damaged while The Joint, a retail shop offering handmade vintage and modern goods, was red-tagged, meaning it is considered unsafe to occupy.
Two GoFundMe pages were started by Alibi Bookshop co-owner Karen Finlay soon after the fire was put out. Alibi Bookshop is across the street from Anchor Pantry and The Joint.
The fundraising page for Anchor Pantry is www.gofundme.com/f/help-jessicaand-frank-rebuild-anchorpantry.
A separate page was made for the Joint, owned by Stephanie Brown, at www.gofundme.com/f/ help-stephanie-rebuild-thejoint-vallejo.