Man sentenced to probation in Dallas restaurant arson case returns, owner says

Dallas restaurant owner says man convicted of arson returned, made new threats

Months after a fire damaged her Dallas restaurant, Jeneise Wood says the man convicted of arson returned and threatened to set another fire.A restaurant owner off Maple Ave. in Dallas is concerned after a man who was ordered to stay away after starting a devastating fire returned to the establishment on Thursday.

Court records show David Oliver was sentenced to three years of probation on July 21 in connection with an arson charge stemming from the March fire. As part of the plea agreement, he was also ordered to have no contact with the restaurant.

But surveillance video shows Oliver returning to the restaurant, banging on the doors. Wood said he was threatening to set it on fire again, just months after intentionally starting the first fire.

The fire is still fresh in one of the owners’ minds, Jeneise Wood.

“Five people in the building, five people could have been killed that day; you were given three years’ probation,” Wood said, while explaining how she came to learn of Oliver’s arrest.

Wood shared pictures of the damage inside the restaurant, which showed damage to the ceiling in several places, reminders, she said, that more should have been done to prevent his return.

“You’re out right now, and you came over here yesterday and banged on my door and told everyone you were gonna set the building on fire again,” she said.

Dallas County court records show Oliver has faced 15 criminal cases since 2022.

Wood questions whether the criminal justice system has done enough to protect business owners like her, particularly after Oliver received three years’ probation in connection with the March fire.

She said Oliver also started a fire in the back of the neighboring restaurant Maple & Motor the same day as the fire at her restaurant.

According to an arrest affidavit, Oliver told investigators in March that he heard voices telling him to do things, but denied that the voices told him to start fires. He also denied involvement in the fires. Investigators said they found a mini torch among his belongings.

Now, Wood says she’s left feeling helpless and increasingly concerned about her safety.

“I’m carrying my gun a lot more,” Wood said. “Which really sucks, because this isn’t even as bad as people claim this area to be. I usually don’t, but now I have to.”

Wood said she hopes to meet with Dallas city leaders and other nearby business owners to discuss ways to address crime in the neighborhood.

“I would love to sit down with council members,” Wood said. “I think this whole community … we would love to sit down with our community leaders and figure out what we can do to stop all the theft, all the crimes, all the fires.”