$500 worth of fireworks lost when man tried setting fire to Cypress firework stand, employee says

CYPRESS, Texas (KTRK) -- A Katy man is being held on a $5,000 bond for allegedly setting fire to a fireworks stand in the Cypress area Tuesday morning.

Julian David Guevara, 34, is charged with arson.

The stand manager, Brayden Bryant, said they closed the business at the corner of Jones and Cypress North Houston at about midnight and went home.

At about 3 a.m., Bryant said he received a text from his boss mentioning the stand and gasoline.

"She said she has bad news," Bryant said. "Someone came to the fireworks stand and tipped the porta-potty over, and something involved with gasoline."

He learned that the man, later identified as Guevara, started the fire on the backside of the metal building.

Bryant pointed out a large banner he and other employees hung over the charred area. There are also black marks from the fire inside the stand. The porta-potty was completely melted.

"We only probably lost maybe like $500 worth of fireworks, which is still a good amount," Bryant said.

He said firefighters got to the stand so quickly that they were able to stop it before it spread to more of their product.

A homeless woman, who sleeps in the area, was able to help officials on the scene identify the man who started it.

"She sits over here every night at this empty lot next to it," Bryant explained. "She sleeps in front of this building. Somehow she was able to memorize the guy's license plate who drove by the porta-potty and kicked it over. She reported it to the police who came by last night, and so they went to his house."

Guevarra was arrested at 6:10 a.m., according to records. His address is listed in court records as being in Katy. Bryant is unsure why he would target their stand in the Cypress area and did not recognize Guevara from his mugshot.

"People just do some crazy things for some weird reasons, I guess," Bryant said. "I don't know why he'd want to do it to us because we never have had any problems with anybody around here. So, no idea."

A judge set Guevara's bond at $5,000 Tuesday afternoon. He is due back in court on Thursday at 9 a.m.

A motion filed in his case shows that he is out on bond for smuggling persons and evading from DPS in Uvalde County in October 2021. He also posted a bond in Victoria County for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and possession of a controlled substance in June of 2021. That case is also pending.

Guevara has also been convicted of possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance, assault of a family member, terroristic threat, and terroristic threat of a family member. He's been sentenced to more than three years behind bars.

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