HARRISONBURG, Virgina, Arsonist appeals paying restitution

OFF THE WIRE
HARRISONBURG -- A former Front Royal man convicted of torching Bad Water Bill's Bar-B-Q Barn seven years ago is appealing the $25,600 in restitution he has been ordered to pay the owner.

William Wardell "Cozmo" Welebir, 57, was ordered in U.S. District Court late last month to pay Bad Water Bill's owner Mary Fisher the money as compensation for the loss of her business.

A jury in February convicted Welebir of the Oct. 23, 2003, arson. He is serving a five-year prison sentence.

The government successfully argued that Welebir burned the biker hangout to try to ingratiate himself with the Pagans Motorcycle Club. A Hell's Angels support group, the Titans, had a show planned at Bad Water Bill's later that day, and the Hell's Angels and Pagans are rivals.

Welebir filed a motion to appeal on Friday, according to online court records. He is appealing the order that denied his motion to dismiss restitution, and the amended judgment that granted Mary Fisher restitution.