The co-owner of a Spartanburg restaurant who claimed he was attacked by two men who then set fire to the building over the weekend has now been accused of filing a false report on that and another incident over the past two weeks.
Marion “Tracy” Edward Haynes III, 34, has been charged with filing a false police report, which is a felony, unlawful use of telephone to call 911, and third degree arson.
Haynes, who owns Roots Restaurant, was given a $6,000 bond and released Friday.
The restaurant, which is now closed, opened just 3 months ago. After the incidents, 28 people donated $2000 to help the restaurant — and they want their money back.
Last Tuesday, police were dispatched to Roots Restaurant on Fernwood Glendale Road after a delivery worker noticed the backdoor was pried open. Authorities say they found the business was ransacked and gas lines were cut.
Then, on Saturday, Haynes called police and told them he was trapped inside the business, officials say.
He told them he was finishing up work around 6 p.m. when he was knocked out of his wheelchair by two armed men who robbed and assaulted him, stripped off his clothes and tried to set the building on fire, reports state.
It’s estimated that tens of thousands of dollars in damage was caused.
After questioning, investigators say Haynes eventually admitted to staging the incidents, but was not arrested because police had yet to gather additional evidence. According to police, Haynes turned himself in Thursday evening.
A crowd-funding website on GoFundMe set up to raise money to help reopen the restaurant has been shut down.
There are several comments from people on the restaurant’s Facebook page asking how they can get their money back from the GoFundMe account. One woman commented that she was able to get a refund from GoFundMe.
