A Missouri woman has been accused of setting fire to and burning down a bar while on vacation in Puerto Rico before fleeing back to the US.
Danielle Bertothy, of St. Peters, is accused by Puerto Rican authorities of using gasoline to start a fire that burned Bar Marea in Cabo Rojo on Jan. 2.
Restaurant Marinera and Artesanías Juavia were also affected by the fire.
Surveillance footagereleased by the bar, showed a woman carrying what appeared to be a gasoline can near the establishment before it went up in flames. You then see the woman walk away.
Bar Marea said in one Facebook post that Bertothy, whose name they did not mention, came in around closing time and had already been drinking when she sat down and ordered shots.
While there, she allegedly “insulted the other patrons and even assaulted a lady and one of the waitresses,” the bar said.
They called the police, who took the woman to her nearby Airbnb, but she reportedly “returned aggressive and throwing insults.”
“The second time I had to call them to come back, I asked them to please get her out of the area because we felt unsafe,” the bar said.
Danielle Bertothy, of St. Peters, is accused by Puerto Rican authorities of using gasoline to start a fire that burned Bar Marea in Cabo Rojo on Jan. 2.
Bar Marea said in a Facebook post that Bertothy, who they did not name, came in around closing time and had already been drinking when she sat down and ordered shots. While there, she allegedly “insulted the other guests and even assaulted a lady and one of the waitresses.”
They called the police, who took the woman to her nearby Airbnb, but she reportedly “returned aggressive and throwing insults.” She was led away again and the bar closed. She allegedly came back and set the company on fire (photo)
Bar Marea ordered his employee to “clean up and leave as quickly as possible” before the woman could return.
Bertothy then allegedly returned to the bar after the employees left and set the business on fire.
‘I don’t understand why someone who is aggressive, drunk and disrespectful is not prosecuted. I don’t understand why she came to burn the businesses down,” the bar wrote. “We lost the material, but the dreams are still alive.”
Ángel Luis Marrero, owner of Luichy’s Seaside Hotel that suffered damage and rents space to the three other businesses involved, estimates the damage at about $500,000, he told a local sales point.
‘I’m going to have to think about mortgaging my house to fix all this. This is very difficult, what we are going through, not to say chaotic,” he told El Nuevo Día.
Bertothy, who was supposed to stay in the country until January 11, left the country and returned to the US immediately after allegedly starting the fire.
“She was our first tenant,” said the property manager, who did not want to be named The Latino Newsletter. She was supposed to be in the rental home from December 30 to January 11.
The Airbnb host was also the one who provided Bertothy with gas when the island suffered a nationwide power outage on New Year’s Eve. According to The Newsletter, he provided her with a can of gasoline and a generator at the start of the rental period.
Surveillance footage released by the bar showed a woman carrying a can of gasoline before it burst into flames. You then see the woman walk away
The bar burned down and Marinera restaurant and Artesanías Juavia were also affected by the fire.
Ángel Luis Marrero, owner of Luichy’s Seaside Hotel which suffered damage and rents space to the three other businesses involved, estimates the damage at about $500,000.
On Tuesday, the Missouri Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Explosives (ATF) issued a search warrant for her home.
Video taken by her neighbor, Kelley Rufhahr, showed Bertothy being escorted out of her home by authorities.
She has not been arrested and no warrant has been issued for her arrest.
St. Peters Police said they are aware of the allegations against Bertothy, which they did not name, and that they have been in contact with Puerto Rican forces.
“No assistance has been requested at this time,” the statement said. “Our department will assist Puerto Rican authorities if requested.”
The local department has no jurisdiction to investigate as the crime did not occur in their territory.
Alderman of the Sixth Ward, Daniela Velázquezcontacted Bertothy’s reported employer, HLK Agency, an advertising company, asking them to respond to their employee’s actions.
She urged them to help authorities and encouraged Bertothy to turn himself in. She also encouraged them to “reassess her employment status.”
The company placed Bertothy on ‘suspension’ while they investigate the incident.
“We are outraged by this senseless act and hope that the authorities can do something about it in a timely manner,” they wrote back to Velázquez.