Kenneth Laforge is facing charges of mischief and arson related to inhabited property after a Salmon Arm 7-Eleven was seriously damaged in a fire on Friday.
Police said the 37-year-old man is from the greater Salmon Arm area but has no personal connection to the store that police are aware of.
Salmon Arm detachment commander Staff Sgt. Scott West wouldn’t comment on what might have motivated the crime.
Police officers were called to the store on the Trans-Canada Highway in Salmon Arm around 2 p.m. on Friday.
West said the caller reported that a man had driven a vehicle into the convenience store.
“Our officers attended. At that point in time it is alleged that the male had lit that gasoline on fire and the vehicle and the business itself were fully involved.”
The staff checked to make sure there were no customers inside the building and evacuated the store on their own.
West said it was a traumatic experience for staff and commended them for ensuring no patrons were inside the building.
Police arrested one man at the scene.
On Monday, the 7-Eleven remained heavily damaged and roped off by caution tape.
7-Eleven has not yet responded to a request for comment on what the fire means for the future of the business and its staff.
Neither the store staff nor the suspect was injured in the incident.
However, officials were forced to evacuate nearby businesses and divert traffic as they dealt with the situation.
Laforge remains in custody and is expected to be in court in Salmon Arm on Tuesday.
Police said their is no indication the vehicle involved in the incident was stolen.