Woman Accused Of Starting Norcross Hotel Fire

NORCROSS, GA — Gwinnett County police on Monday apprehended a woman accused of starting a fire in April at a Norcross hotel. Shanel Velma Best, 21, is being held without bond at the Gwinnett County Detention Center on charges of first degree arson/endangering human life and aggravated assault, the police said in a statement.

Gwinnett fire investigators filed the charges against Best, who also is wanted by other jurisdictions for various offenses, the police said.

The fire investigators say on the night of April 25, during a domestic dispute, Best set a small pile of clothing on fire in front of a third-floor room at the Congress Hotel and Suites, in the 5800 block of Oakbrook Parkway NW in unincorporated Norcross.

“Best’s actions were careless and placed multiple people in danger by blocking the guest room door and impeding egress from the third floor,” Gwinnett Fire Captain Tommy Rutledge said in the statement.

Best had been staying in the room with three other adults and a child when she got into an argument with one of the room's occupants, say police. The other occupants quickly stamped out the fire, but smoke from the burning clothes set off a fire alarm.

Firefighters responded to the scene, but the flames were out by the time they arrived. There were no injuries reported.

Image: Shanel Velma Best (Gwinnett County PD)