EL CAJON, Calif. -- A key witness took the stand Tuesday in the arson murder trial of a Ramona gas station owner accused of hiring an employee to set fire to his home for insurance purposes.

In court Tuesday, John Nesheiwat said he was to be the getaway driver the night a vacant rental home was set on fire on Mount Woodson. Nesheiwat said the plan was hatched by the homeowner, defendant James Kurtenbach, to get out of debt.

Kurtenbach, 49, is charged with second-degree murder and other charges in the Oct. 31, 2008, fire and explosion that killed 24-year-old Joseph Nesheiwat.

"He said they'd take care of everything; I'd just have to drive Joe to the house to burn it down," said Nesheiwat.

Nesheiwat said he agreed to help because Kurtenbach "offered to pay and get us motorcycles." He added Kurtenbach told them it would be easy.

"They said they'd soak the house with gas," said Nesheiwat.

Prosecutors said Kurtenbach owed millions of dollars in back taxes on his Stars gas station in Ramona, where John Nesheiwat's brother, Joe, was the night manager.

"He said he needed the money. He said we'd have a good Thanksgiving and great Christmas ... we had to get it done," said Nesheiwat.

Nesheiwat told of driving his brother to the house and dropping him off, and then parking the car to wait. He said an explosion rocked the car moments later.

"I was like, what the hell happened? I thought death. When I heard what I heard and saw what I saw, I thought, if he was in the house he'd be dead," said Nesheiwat.

He said he tried to call his brother over and over, fearing the worst.

"I couldn't even see the house. The whole house was covered in fire," said Nesheiwat.

John Nesheiwat has immunity from prosecution. He is scheduled for cross-examination Wednesday morning.

Kurtenbach is currently free on bail.

If convicted on all charges, he could serve 30 years to life in prison.