The owner of the controversial Airport Inn in Lake Country was arrested and charged with assault last week.
Raif Fleihan was charged with assault with a weapon, uttering threats and breach of recognizance in relation to events that occurred at his motel on Nov. 13.
RCMP did not divulge the nature of the charges or the incident that led to his arrest.
Fleihan was in court on Nov. 15 for his first appearance. His bail was set at $500 and he is not currently in custody.
In 2017, Fleihan’s Airport Inn was shut down for health and safety purposes after a deck collapse warranted safety measures to be taken.
Despite numerous fines by the city and a revoked business permit, Fleihan continued operating the hotel, at one point housing nearly a dozen people.
On Aug. 20 of this year, Lake Country council ordered the motel of 20 years to be shut down within 45 days, with all residents gone and the building boarded up with a fence around the perimeter.
In an effort to extend the date of closure, Fleihan’s lawyer asked council to delay the remedial action to ensure tenants could find appropriate housing.
On Oct. 1, council decided to uphold remedial action, giving the tenants until Oct. 7 to begin leaving due to safety violations and the lack of an occupancy permit.
Then on Oct. 18, a suspicious fire burned one of the unoccupied wings of the building.
Police are still investigating the deliberately set blaze.
Finally, after weeks of hard work, the Airport Inn has housed its last tenants.
Fleihan currently has the property listed for sale but is staying in the building while a buyer is sought.
His next court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 10.
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