Man accused of lighting several bush fires along Nanaimo Parkway denied bail

The accused was arrested on-scene following a brief foot chase, the Crown’s Ken Paziuk said during the hearing.

Paziuk strongly opposed Macey-Girard’s interim release, stating he’d face a significant jail sentence if he’s convicted.

“It would undermine the public confidence if Mr. Macey-Girard were released given the two incidents in fairly quick order,” Paziuk said.

Paziuk told the judge a civilian near the Northfield Rd. Visitor Centre noticed a small brush fire burning directly beside a man alleged to be Macey-Girard.

The accused then allegedly walked south on the Parkway Trail when the concerned civilian noticed a larger fire believed to have started earlier in the direction the accused was headed.

“The civilian then yells, asks the male if he had started the fires. The male said ‘Yep and there’s nothing you can do now,’” Paziuk said.

A little over two weeks before the high-profile Nanaimo Parkway fires, Macey-Girard allegedly broke into a home off Haliburton St. early in the morning of June 15, 2023.

Macey-Girard was allegedly armed with a knife in one hand and a stick in the other during a break-in attempt at a Highview Terr. home, however an elderly man inside chased the suspect away.

An arrest was made shortly after with assistance from a Police Service Dog.

Macey-Girard allegedly did not comply and got into a physical confrontation with police during the arrest.

A BC Hydro meter attached to the home was stolen and power was cut to the home, Paziuk said.

Following the incident the accused was then released on bail.

Among numerous concerns, Judge Wishart said the inability for the accused of no fixed address to have protective conditions such as curfew and electronic monitoring was problematic for her.

“I’m satisfied that there is a substantial likelihood that if released Mr. Macey-Girard would commit further offences and that those offences would pose a significant danger to members of the public,” judge Wishart stated.

Macey-Girard was represented by a legal aid lawyer during the hearing and is in the process of obtaining new legal counsel, court was told.

He’s scheduled back in court next Monday for a procedural appearance.

Macey-Girard was arrested about 300 meters south of the Northfield Rd./Nanaimo Parkway intersection while the roadside fires continued burning during a hot, windy day.

The accused was allegedly seen by a witness “yelling incoherently” while walking an area trail and setting fires.

Responding to the multiple Nanaimo Parkway fires was extremely taxing to Nanaimo Fire Rescue (NFR) crews, who spent several hours putting the fires out and dousing hot spots.

In a highly unusual move, NFR exhausted its resources and requested backup from the neighbouring Lantzville and East Wellington fire departments.

A day following the multiple fires breaking out on either side of the parkway, Nanaimo RCMP issued an urgent call for two witnesses to come forward to advance their investigation.

According to court records, Macey-Girard moved to the Nanaimo region around the summer of 2020 and was in court in late August for a transfer of his probation from Quebec, as well as a breach of his probation orders.

In 2013, Macey-Girard was jailed for two years after he was convicted of luring a 15-year-old girl in Quebec into prostitution and having sexual contact with her.

None of the allegations lodged against Macey-Girard during Tuesday’s bail hearing have been proven in court.

The hearing was not covered by a publication ban.

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On Twitter: @reporterholmes

by Ian Holmes

Man accused of lighting several bush fires along Nanaimo Parkway denied bail

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