Tanya Panting was on Friday night’s news pleading for justice on behalf of her nephew, the Stella Maris student who was attacked by the school bus driver. Well hours after that piece aired, Panting’s home was almost burnt down – and she says it’s the same bus conductor who did it! She today told us that Gareth Humes tried to burn down her house around three on Sunday morning. It was a hapless attempt and the residence only saw very minor damage. She told us what happened.
Tanya Panting, Victim of Attempted Arson
“My sister was sleeping the night over with me and we had awoken to the smell of something that was burning. I was calling out to her just like she was calling out to me. We were asking each other what was burning. She said probably it is the fan. I insisted and I told her it couldn’t be the fan because the stench that it gave off was strong. So she said she thinks it is probably something outside. I asked her how could it be something outside and it is raining and outside is wet. She got up only to find out that the bed she was on was actually catching fire. So I got up off my bed and went over to her, only to find out that she had already taken a next sheet and she was blocking the fire to out the fire. My immediate response was how could the house be on fire. My older daughter at the time, she got up and she said she thinks somebody from outside throw something inside the house to catch it fire. So immediately I left my inside to continue out the fire, I came out in the living room, and I climbed up on my sofa to look through the top window to see if I could see anybody. I did not. I came out and I called 911, I told them what happened, I went back to check on my sister, she had already gotten burnt on two hands trying to out the fire.”
We did try to get confirmation on whether or not Gareth Humes has been detained for questioning but were on unsuccessful. A Police Press Release has described the incident as an attempted arson. As for the assault on the student which supposedly provoked the assault, today the principal of Stella Maris School told 7News that a board meeting scheduled at five will decide on what actions should be taken against the student and the school employee.
