ST. PAUL, MN — A St. Paul man is accused of setting fire to his store last August.
Tu Ma Cha, of Little Canada, was charged Friday with second-degree arson.
The indictment lists his business, Checkerboard Pizza, and another grocery store business. It was damaged Due to the fire on August 9th.
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Surveillance camera footage showed Cha walking back and forth between Checkerboard Pizza and repeatedly entering a nearby apartment complex that day.
The indictment also states that video surveillance shows Cha’s wife coming out of the pizza shop and getting into the couple’s car. Maher was then seen walking between the pizza shop and the door of a nearby apartment. A few minutes later, a fire breaks out.
Cha also admitted to police that he was present at the time of the fire. He denied being at the front door of the apartment where the fire started, although video shows he was there, according to documents.
Second-degree arson carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
