A 34-year-old McDonald’s employee will serve five years in jail after pleading guilty to lighting fire to a dumpster outside the fast food restaurant, according to the US Attorney’s Office.
In April 2023, Joshua Daryl McGregor allegedly became angry because the Savannah, Georgia McDonald’s where he worked was overcrowded. So he set fire to a piece of cardboard and threw it into the enormous garbage bin, along with additional cardboard and other flammable materials.
According to prosecutors, the fire became so strong that customers were forced to exit the drive-thru. The store was briefly closed while the Savannah Fire Department extinguished the fire.
Surveillance video captured him in the act. He even waited for a beat to ensure the fire was burning and recorded a video using his cell phone. In other words, he got caught more red-handed than the Hamburglar. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries.
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McGregor was apprehended by the Savannah Police Department, and in May, he pleaded guilty to arson in US District Court.
“It is inexcusable to intentionally start a fire to shut down or damage someone else’s property,” said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “Joshua McGregor will have substantial time to ponder his post-prison employment options.”
According to court records, McGregor’s counsel considered an insanity defense before the plea, and the judge had “reservations about his mental competency.” Before entering into the plea agreement, McGregor was scheduled to undergo a mental assessment.
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“Arson is an extremely violent crime that not only destroys property but also puts firefighters, first responders, and the general public in grave danger,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Atlanta Field Division, in a statement.
In addition to his prison sentence, McGregor must pay more than $1,000 in restitution.