The Enquirer

HAMILTON - A blaze that destroyed a religious bookstore and wedding shop has been ruled an arson.

"We've eliminated any other cause of the fire, so both our fire investigator and the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (officials) determined it to be arson," Hamilton Fire Chief Joe Schutte said Friday. "They're still collecting evidence and waiting on some lab results to get back."

The fire early Wednesday caused about $300,000 damage to the Heaven Sent store at 2269 Pleasant Ave. There were no injuries.

Investigators do not have any suspects, Schutte said.

Officials would not detail evidence found at the fire scene.

The fire remains under investigation.

Hamilton firefighters were called to the store about 2:35 a.m. and found heavy fire coming out the front windows and heading up to the roof, Schutte said. The bulk of the damage was to the store's inventory.

Driver pleads guilty in pedestrian's death

A Green Township man has pleaded guilty to charges that he ran over a woman and killed her when he drove through a red light.

Zachery Costa, 18, will be sentenced Sept. 16 on charges of aggravated vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of an accident.

He was driving on Glenway Avenue on July 19 when he hit Gloria Valles, 30, of Westwood. She was walking across the street in a crosswalk.

Her boyfriend, Antonio Cruz, had just crossed before her. He saw her get hit.

Costa drove away from the scene, but was chased by witnesses and held for police.

His driver's license was suspended at the time.