A man aged 57 has admitted to setting fire to a popular brewery in Prince George, B.C., leading to its destruction on September 5, 2025. The blaze that consumed CrossRoads Brewing and Distillery on George Street happened in close proximity to Prince George City Hall.
Initially, Richard Titchener, 57, pleaded not guilty to the arson causing property damage charge but altered his plea on Monday. Subsequently, a Supreme Court judge has requested a pre-sentencing report for Titchener, with his next court appearance scheduled for April 7.
Last year, the owners of CrossRoads Brewing informed the city council that they would not proceed with rebuilding unless substantial changes were made to the neighborhood. The brewery had been a vital establishment in downtown Prince George since its establishment in 2017.
Unfortunately, CrossRoads had to cancel its annual late-summer street festival, which was set to take place the day after the fire. The festival would have featured live music and games in the vicinity of the brewery.
Following the incident, a rally advocating for increased public safety in Prince George ensued, prompting the reallocation of some RCMP officers to patrol the downtown area around the clock. Prince George RCMP Cpl. Jennifer Cooper identified Titchener as a local resident with a known history to law enforcement. Cooper mentioned that the arson investigation benefited from video surveillance footage provided by nearby businesses.
