Roland Croyle stands between his attorneys Kelly Williamson (left) and Cameron Macke at the start of his trial. He was sentenced to 140 years in prison. [MICHAEL HOLAHAN/THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE] ▲ Croyle [FILE/RICHMOND COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE] ▲

After deliberating several hours over two days, a jury on Friday convicted the man who set Augusta's Twins Peaks restaurant on fire in the middle of lunchtime in 2017.

The Richmond County Superior Court jury found Roland Croyle, 37, guilty but mentally ill of all 24 counts of arson, aggravated assault and criminal damage to property. Judge J. Wade Padgett sentenced Croyle to 140 years in prison followed by 20 years on probation.

On June 26, 2017, as 21 people worked or dined at the restaurant on Robert C. Daniel Jr. Parkway, Croyle crashed his vehicle into the building. As people fled, he threw buckets of gasoline and diesel fluid, propane tanks and fuel-soaked blankets into the restaurant and torched it. He had worked at the restaurant before being fired for drinking on the job.

As Assistant District Attorney Timothy O'Brien said in his closing statement to the jury, it was a miracle no one was killed. Croyle endangered everyone inside and all the law enforcement officers and firefighters who responded to the call, O'Brien said.

Defense attorney Kelly Williamson asked the jury to find Croyle not guilty by reason of insanity or guilty but mentally ill, saying he had been completely broken by depression. He was hopeless and in pain and wanted to end his life, Williamson said.

Padgett called Croyle's crimes cowardly and selfish during sentencing Friday. He said Croyle traumatized not only those inside the restaurant but also his own mother, children and ex-mother-in-law, who he had contact with that day. Croyle didn't want to simply commit suicide, the judge said, he also wanted to grab attention that day, which was his ex-wife's birthday.

Croyle had had no criminal record before Friday.

In addition to his prison sentence, Croyle must pay $5,000 in restitution, the insurance deductible the restaurant owner had to pay out of pocket, and is not to contact any of the victims. Padgett also order Croyle to conform with mental health treatment. The verdict of guilty but mentally ill requires the prison system to provide mental health treatment.