McLeod Hill emergency response leads to arson charge

Ryanne Joseph Pineda, 35, told court he was experiencing “a psychotic episode” due to drugs during Wednesday’s events

A major police and fire response in the McLeod Hill area on Fredericton’s north side late Wednesday night led to an arson charge against a man who resides in that area.

McLeod Hill Road resident Gail Tucker told the Fredericton Independent early Thursday afternoon there was a major emergency response in her neighbourhood late Wednesday.

“We were awakened at 11:15 last night to emergency vehicles heading in the direction of Lint subdivision or Chateau Heights,” she said.

“By 11:30, six fire department vehicles… six city police cars and one ambulance had rushed by, all with sirens blazing. According to neighbours, there seems to have been some sort of incident in Chateau Heights, maybe on Sunset Boulevard.”

The Fredericton Police Force hadn’t issued any information about the incident Wednesday or Thursday, but a suspect was brought to court Thursday afternoon and charged with arson in a case that appears to be related to that emergency call.

Ryanne Pineda (Photo: Facebook)

Ryanne Joseph Pineda, 35, of Sunset Boulevard, appeared in Fredericton provincial court in custody Thursday afternoon and was charged with causing damage by fire Wednesday to 46 Sunset Blvd. in McLeod Hill, knowing or being reckless about whether the home was occupied at the time.

Crown prosecutor Nina Johnsen objected to his release, and Judge Lucie Mathurin remanded him pending a bail hearing set for Monday afternoon.

But before deputy sheriffs could lead him out of the courtroom Thursday, Pineda appeared to offer an excuse for his alleged actions the night before.

“I was in a psychotic episode,” he told the court, noting it was brought on by drug use.

“I was supposed to go see a psychologist today.”

Mathurin said he’ll have to reschedule that appointment, because he’ll remain in custody until at least his bail hearing.

Residents left in the dark

Tucker said Thursday afternoon she was dismayed the Fredericton Police Force hadn’t issued any advisory or other announcement about the nature of those events.

“ … When emergency services run through a community late at night, perhaps the police could reassure the community they aren’t at risk, especially when the Brookside shootings in 2018 happened just minutes away,” she said, referring to the August 2018 quadruple murder that claimed the lives of two Fredericton police officers and two civilians.

“... Not communicating with the residents isn’t acceptable, especially when it felt like we were under siege.”

The Fredericton Independent inquired with police officials about Wednesday night’s events in McLeod Hill, and while a representative acknowledged receipt of the inquiry, there was no response as of 6 p.m. Thursday evening. No information about the incident was posted on the force’s social media accounts by that time either.

However, Fredericton assistant deputy fire chief David McKinley confirmed that five fire department vehicles and 20 personnel, including fire investigators, responded to the area shortly after 11 p.m. Wednesday.

“Three trucks were cleared rather quickly, and the others were on scene for about two hours,” he wrote in an email.

“I can confirm that the fire is still under investigation.”

McKinley said he knew nothing about Pineda.

Addendum: A spokesperson for the Fredericton Police Force responded to a media inquiry Friday at 10:30 a.m.

“On March 29th, 2023, at approximately 11:09 p.m., the Fredericton Police Force, Fredericton Fire Department and Ambulance New Brunswick responded to a single house on Sunset Boulevard, McLeod Hill, N.B., for a fire complaint,” police spokesperson Megan Barker wrote in an email.

“The fire was extinguished, and the occupants of the residence were safely removed.”

She noted the fire investigator deemed the blaze to be suspicious, so the fire department turned it over to the police force’s major crime team.

Barker said the investigation led to Pineda’s arrest and appearance in court Thursday.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at ftonindependent@gmail.com.