Motorcycle shop owner charged with arson

BUFORD - A South Hall motorcycle shop owner has been charged with two counts of arson after a fire last month destroyed his business and damaged an adjoining cabinet shop.

Hall County firefighters responded to a fire at Professional V-Twin, a motorcycle shop, at 2880 McEver Road at 11:40 p.m. Jan. 10. After the fire was extinguished, an investigation into the origin of the fire by the Hall County Fire Marshal's Office indicated the blaze was intentionally set.

Investigators from the Hall County Sheriff's Office joined the probe and began to interview witnesses and possible suspects.

They identified 53-year-old Alan Kilgore of Flowery Branch as the person responsible for actually setting the fire after he was admitted into the hospital suffering from burns covering more than 40 percent of his body, according to Maj. Jeff Strickland of the Hall County Sheriff's Office.

Strickland said investigators also developed evidence that indicated the owner of the motorcycle shop had hired Kilgore to burn the business.

The sheriff's office and the fire marshal's office Friday reported the arrest of the business owner, 41-year-old Phillip Hall of Gainesville. He was charged with two counts of first degree arson, reckless conduct and tampering with evidence.

Kilgore was also arrested and charged with two counts of first degree arson.