Two Hahnville High School students, one of whom was overheard saying he wanted to blow up the school, were arrested last week for allegedly starting a fire in a trash can inside a boy’s restroom, according to the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office.
The fire could have gotten out of control if not for the quick-thinking of Sgt. James Hebert, who rushed into the bathroom, carried the fiery can outside of the building and then smothered the flame with the cover of an outside trash can.
Ronald J. Wilson, 17, and Hysheem Z. Cason, 17, were arrested for simple arson following a school and police investigation. Cason was also charged with terrorizing for statements he allegedly made regarding blowing up HHS.
The incident began on Oct. 19 at 12:28 p.m. when a student informed Hebert that there was a fire in the Hahnville High School bathroom. When Hebert entered the bathroom, he saw flames coming from a plastic trash can and took steps to make sure the fire didn’t cause more damage by taking it outside. Hebert then told school officials to check the other restrooms in the school and remove the trash cans from all of them.
After the restrooms were checked, Hahnville Principal Lorel Gonzales asked school administrators to begin an investigation to determine which students were out of class during the time of the fire. Because it was a lunch period, about 400 students were in the area of the bathroom at the time of the crime.
Luckily, an 18-year-old witness came forward and said that he saw Wilson and another student standing by the trash can. According to the police report, the witness saw an unknown student hand Wilson a lighter, which he used to start the fire.
Shortly after the witness came forward, a teacher brought Cason to the main office after he told her he started the fire. Cason then told the teacher that he did not start the fire, but knew who did and would not tell on him, according to the report.
At that point, the teacher told police that Cason had said at least three times that he was going to blow up the school. After a picture was taken, the witness to the fire identified Cason as the student he saw hand Wilson the lighter.
Simple arson carries a fine of up to $15,000 and between two and 15 years in jail. Terrorizing carries a fine of up to $15,000 or/and up to 15 years in jail.
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