Former business owner arrested for arson

An owner of a former business in downtown Winder was arrested early this morning in connection with an Aug. 22 fire across the street from the historic courthouse.


The Winder Police Department has not announced the arrest of 30-year-old Brandy May Rowley, but the Barrow Journal received a tip over the weekend that she was being charged with arson. According to a booking report from the Barrow County Sheriff's Office, she surrendered at the Barrow County Detention Center at 4:47 a.m. today.


The Rowley family operated Skip's Hawaiian Shaved Ice at 43 N. Broad St. The fire started in the basement of the business late at night, and the first clue that it had been intentionally set was when someone called Barrow County's E-911 Center to report the fire before smoke had become visible outside.


A source said the mother of five set the blaze in order to get out of a lease.