Witness video leads to arrest for arson

A reward has been offered to a man who filmed an incident that led to an arrest on arson charges. The Hall County Fire Marshal’s Office said 911 caller Jordan Castillo was returning home from work in February when he saw a man leaving a house engulfed in flames.

He immediately called 911 and recorded the incident on his cellphone. The video was later used by investigators to make an arrest that same day.

“Mr. Castillo was aware of the extreme situation he was facing and was able to remain calm and provide investigators with accurate and useful information,” said Lt. Cacey Henderson, an investigator with the Hall County Fire Marshal’s Office.

Investigators with the Fire Marshal’s Office and the Hall County Sheriff’s Office were able to identify and arrest the suspect with Castillo’s help. They say Castillo was unaware he was nominated for a Georgia Arson Control (GAC) reward, but last week he received the reward.

“Without Castillo’s testimony, the video and the timeline of events, there would have been no conviction. On behalf of Hall County Fire Rescue, we would like to thank Jordan Castillo for his compassion for others and their property, and for his important dedication to this important case,” the Hall County Fire Marshal’s office said.