Moe Girton said she was satisfied with the drug treatment sentence given to Ryan Scott Habrel, 38, on Jan. 18 for setting fire to her Hillcrest bar, Gossip Grill, in the Oct. 20, 2023 incident.

“He lost his way. He was very mentally unwell,” said Girton, adding she was “100% behind him getting treatment.”

San Diego Superior Court Judge Rachel Cano ordered a 200-day jail term and ruled that since he had served 187 days in jail with credits for good behavior, Habrel was released Jan. 19 to the drug treatment program.

Cano ordered Habrel to pay $5,849 in restitution to Girton for the fire, which damaged outdoor seating and awnings outside the entrance at the 1220 University Avenue restaurant and other areas.

She also ordered Habrel to stay away from Girton on two years probation. Habrel used to work as a bartender for Urban Mo’s, another restaurant and bar in Hillcrest.

“If he violates his (probation) terms, he goes back to jail,” said Girton.

The judge also suspended a 4-year state prison term which Habrel won’t have to serve, but if he has significant violation of probation terms, he could end up in state prison. He pleaded guilty Dec. 18 to arson, which is a felony.

Girton said she saw him on the day of the fire and he was talking to himself, walking around without shoes, and was homeless. Later, when she viewed the restaurant video, it showed him setting the fire with lighter fluid and he was giggling, she said.

“He looked a lot better (in court),” said Girton.

Habrel was wearing blue jail clothes, but Girton said she thought he seemed more alert and clear headed and just better than when she last saw him just before the fire.

Habrel was also placed on concurrent two years probation for felony vandalism at Rite-Aid in Hillcrest in which he destroyed 10 champagne bottles in an Oct. 9, 2023 incident. After being arrested for that event, he was released on Oct. 16, days before the Gossip Grill arson. He was ordered to pay $3,232 to Rite-Aid.

Cano ordered him to stay away from Rite-Aid, not possess firearms, ammunition, or incendiary devices.

Habrel said nothing in court, but he explained his actions to a probation officer, who wrote a report which was released on Jan. 23.

“My brain was fried from smoking that stuff,” said Habrel, referring to fentanyl, according to his interview.

He said he didn’t specifically target Gossip Grill, but he was “just high” and “is thankful he did not light himself on fire,” according to the report.

Habrel wants to “make reparations,” for the damages he caused from “his very dumb actions,” the report quoted him as saying.

When he was first arrested, Habrel said he wanted to “burn the city down and proceeded to find the best wood structure.”

He admitted to police that he shoplifted a bottle of lighter fluid from Ralph’s and also had been smoking “some bad fentanyl,” according to the report.

He told police he selected Gossip Grill “because they were gossiping and he needed the gossip to end in his mind.” Habrel also said he tried to set a telephone pole on fire. He said he worked at other businesses Girton owned, but not at Gossip Grill.

The report said Habrel was polite and cooperative while talking to a probation officer. “The interview process was explained, including the fact nothing he said would be confidential and that he had the right to terminate the interview at any time. The defendant indicated he understood,” the report said.