Irving Hotel Guest Charged With Arson After Fire Set on Third Floor

IRVING, Texas - A 45-year-old man was arrested on an arson charge after Irving police say a fire was intentionally set inside a hotel and an employee was prevented from extinguishing it.

Irving police and firefighters were dispatched around 2:11 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27, to America's Best Value Inn in the 2600 block of West Airport Freeway, between North Story Road and Harvard Street North.

Dispatch notes indicated a man had set a fire and was refusing to allow others to reach it and put it out.

Hotel employees directed responding officers to a third-floor room occupied by Jarvis Coye Bernard, 45.

When officers reached the third floor, smoke was hanging in the air throughout the hallway. Police found a burned towel near Bernard's room and burn damage to the hallway carpet that hotel management said would require repairs.

A hotel employee told police she tried to approach the fire to extinguish it but Bernard prevented her from doing so. According to police, Bernard made statements to the effect of, "Leave my stuff alone."

Investigators said no one other than Bernard was in the hallway with the burning towel and carpet at the time.

Officers took Bernard into custody and transported him to the Irving Jail. He was charged with arson, a second-degree felony.

Irving police said Bernard was suffering from a medical condition but declined to provide additional details about the condition, citing the ongoing investigation.

The case is expected to be reviewed by the Dallas County District Attorney's Office.

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