ATLANTA – A man suspected of starting the fire which caused an I-85 bridge to collapse has been charged with arson and and criminal damage to property in the first degree, both felonies.
Basil Elbey made his first court appearance on late Saturday morning, as several Midtown streets were in gridlock as drivers attempted to navigate around portions of I-85 that were closed.
Thus far, Elbey, who is in the Fulton County Jail on $200,000 bond, is the only person charged in connection with the fire. His next court date is April 14.
According to the warrant, Eleby allegedly smoked crack cocaine under the bridge before he placed “a chair on top of a shopping cart, [reached] under that shopping cart and ignited it.”