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Accused in Kamloops Denny’s standoff charged with setting grass fire

The man is charged with setting a grass fire back in June
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-Kamloops this Week

A Kamloops man who has been behind bars since his arrest following a standoff earlier this month is facing a new charge, this one alleging he intentionally set a grass fire in Aberdeen in June.

Justin Braden Hodge was officially charged with arson on Monday, according to court documents.

RELATED: RCMP successfully remove man from Kamloops Denny’s

The charging information alleges Hodge “did intentionally or recklessly cause damage by fire or explosion to property, to wit, grasslands near the intersection of Highway 5A and Aberdeen Drive” on June 18.

The 29-year-old is also facing charges of uttering threats, robbery, possession of a weapon, mischief and breaching probation stemming from a 10-hour-long standoff at Denny’s restaurant on Aug. 2 that snarled traffic in downtown Kamloops.

In that instance, Hodge is alleged to have threatened he had a bomb while in the restaurant at Columbia Street and Sixth Avenue at 4 a.m. before holing up in the restaurant and refusing to come out for police.

Hours later, Mounties entered the building and arrested the suspect.

Hodge is due back in court on Sept. 13. He remains in custody at Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre.

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