Man Arrested in TX Arson of Muslim Store

April 10, 2004

Source: San Antonio Express News

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/crime/stories/MYSA10.01A.Arson_arrest_0

On April 10, 2004 San Antonio Express News reported, "A man already accused of setting fire to one Arab-operated store and ramming his car into another was arrested Friday outside yet another burning business operated by Middle Eastern entrepreneurs. It was the fourth fire to erupt at convenience stores owned or operated by Muslims in the past 16 days. Thomas C. Carroll, a transmission shop manager whose recent years have been marred by a volatile divorce, business losses and run-ins with the law, was wearing a black jacket decorated with orange flames when police arrested him outside the burning convenience store in the 14300 block of Nacogdoches Road. Authorities charged the 32-year-old with arson and deadly conduct and said they were considering using the state's hate-crime statute to upgrade the arson charge to a first-degree felony with a maximum penalty of 99 years in prison."