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Arson

Police & Fire
'Social Media Hobbyist' Set Blaze, Made Fake 911 Calls For Content: Maryland Fire Marshal 'Social Media Hobbyist' Set Blaze, Made Fake 911 Calls For Content: Maryland Fire Marshal
'Social Media Hobbyist' Set Blaze, Made Fake 911 Calls For Content: Maryland Fire Marshal A Maryland social media "hobbyist" who films emergency responses for content was arrested for allegedly setting a building on fire and making false 911 calls to capture footage of firefighters in action, authorities said. Joshua Christian-Stanley Jackson, 21, of Prince Frederick, was taken into custody on Friday, Feb. 28, after investigators determined he was responsible for a vacant commercial building fire in Charles County, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office. Fire crews responded to 12535 Crain Highway around 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22, after receiving a 911 call a…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Man Used Explosive Device To Destroy Mom's Car: Maryland Fire Marshal Man Used Explosive Device To Destroy Mom's Car: Maryland Fire Marshal
Man Used Explosive Device To Destroy Mom's Car: Maryland Fire Marshal A Maryland man is facing arson and explosives charges after investigators say he intentionally set his mother’s car on fire, causing damage to both the vehicle and a nearby home. Terry Lynn Ford Jr., 24, of Cumberland, was arrested on Friday, Feb. 28, following a months-long investigation by the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office, authorities said. Fire crews responded to a 2005 Toyota Camry Solara engulfed in flames outside 883 Patterson Avenue around 8 a.m. on Nov. 1, 2024, officials said Investigators later determined the fire was deliberately set using an explosive device, causing an…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Stolen FedEx Truck Erupts In Flames Along Maryland Train Tracks: Fire Marshal Stolen FedEx Truck Erupts In Flames Along Maryland Train Tracks: Fire Marshal
Stolen FedEx Truck Erupts In Flames Along Maryland Train Tracks: Fire Marshal A stolen FedEx delivery truck was found engulfed in flames along railroad tracks in Cecil County, sparking a criminal investigation, officials said. The fiery discovery was made around 2:45 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 23, near Red Toad Road and Bethel Church Road in North East, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office. Authorities say a CSX train operator first spotted the abandoned commercial delivery truck, which had been stolen from the FedEx center in North East before being dumped and intentionally set on fire along the tracks. It took firefighters from the North East Volunteer …

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Arsonist Sparks Maryland YMCA Blaze With 80 People Inside: Fire Marshal Arsonist Sparks Maryland YMCA Blaze With 80 People Inside: Fire Marshal
Arsonist Sparks Maryland YMCA Blaze With 80 People Inside: Fire Marshal A 63-year-old man is facing serious charges after allegedly setting fires inside a Maryland YMCA while more than 80 people were inside, authorities announced. Donald Lee Martin Jr. was arrested following an investigation by the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office into a fire reported around 3 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 7, at the YMCA located on Baltimore Avenue in Cumberland. Officials say tenants at the YMCA, which provides transitional services for families and shelter for unhoused individuals, quickly extinguished a fire that broke out in a third-floor apartment before it could spread.  …

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by Zak Failla
News
Arsonist Behind Fiery Explosions During Maryland Robberies Faces Life In Prison: Feds Arsonist Behind Fiery Explosions During Maryland Robberies Faces Life In Prison: Feds
Arsonist Behind Fiery Explosions During Maryland Robberies Faces Life In Prison: Feds A Maryland man has been convicted of using explosives to set fire to 7-Eleven stores in a scheme to rob cash registers and steal from ATMs, federal prosecutors announced. After a five-day trial, a federal jury found Stephen Kennedy, 33, of Temple Hills, guilty of multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit arson, commercial robbery, and carrying an explosive device during a felony, authorities said. Investigators say Kennedy and his co-conspirator, Donnell Kelly, carried out a dangerous plan between January 2021 and January 2022, targeting 7-Eleven locations in Maryland while they were…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Woman Who Torched Estranged BF's Home Slapped With Arson Charge In Maryland: Officials Woman Who Torched Estranged BF's Home Slapped With Arson Charge In Maryland: Officials
Woman Who Torched Estranged BF's Home Slapped With Arson Charge In Maryland: Officials A Maryland woman is facing serious prison time after being indicted on arson charges for allegedly torching her estranged boyfriend’s home last October, authorities announced. Heather Lynn Hutcheson, 43, of Frostburg was arrested Tuesday, Jan. 28, after a months-long investigation concluded she was responsible for the blaze in Allegany County, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office. Firefighters responded from the Shaft Fire Department and other nearby agencies responded to the home in the 11200 block o Upper Georges Creek Road in Frostburg around 1:15 p.m. on Oct. 13, 2024, …

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
'Itty Bitty Pieces:' Woman Threatens To Blow Maryland Churches Into Smithereens, Officials Say 'Itty Bitty Pieces:' Woman Threatens To Blow Maryland Churches Into Smithereens, Officials Say
'Itty Bitty Pieces:' Woman Threatens To Blow Maryland Churches Into Smithereens, Officials Say A Maryland woman is behind bars after a joint investigation revealed she made alarming online threats against multiple churches and their pastors in Washington County. On Sunday, Jan. 26, investigators from the Office of the State Fire Marshal and the Hagerstown Fire Marshal's Office arrested Salamah Bassem Audi, 35, following a week-long investigation into threatening messages posted on an online blog. The threats targeted Gateway Experience Church in Williamsport, The City of God in Hagerstown, and their pastors.  In one post, Audi threatened to blow up a pastor “into itty bitty pie…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Mailbox Explosions Shake Maryland Neighborhoods Overnight: Fire Marshal Mailbox Explosions Shake Maryland Neighborhoods Overnight: Fire Marshal
Mailbox Explosions Shake Maryland Neighborhoods Overnight: Fire Marshal Investigators are calling for community assistance following a series of explosive mailbox incidents that rocked neighborhoods in Manchester and Westminster over the weekend, officials in Carroll County announced. The string of explosions came to light Sunday, Jan. 12, after the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a damaged mailbox in the 3000 block of Traceys Mill Road.  What started as a single complaint quickly escalated, with investigators uncovering eight additional incidents scattered across the area, including the 4000 block of Wentz Road in Manchester and t…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Maryland Man Charged With Arson After Vehicle Torched In Parking Garage: Fire Officials Maryland Man Charged With Arson After Vehicle Torched In Parking Garage: Fire Officials
Maryland Man Charged With Arson After Vehicle Torched In Parking Garage: Fire Officials More than a month after a vehicle was torched in Montgomery County, authorities announced that a suspect has been taken into custody. Edward Kamara, 27, has been arrested following an investigation into an incident reported late on Tuesday, Nov. 19 in the 9700 block of Key West Avenue that caused upwards of $40,000 in damage to a vehicle parked in an area garage. Kamara was arrested at his home in Lanham, according to a Montgomery County Fire and Rescue spokesperson said, where he was charged with:  Second-degree arson; First-degree malicious burning; Malicious destruction. He is rep…

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by Zak Failla
News
Arsonist Who Killed Mother, Toddler In Maryland Townhome Over Housing Dispute Learns Fate Arsonist Who Killed Mother, Toddler In Maryland Townhome Over Housing Dispute Learns Fate
Arsonist Who Killed Mother, Toddler In Maryland Townhome Over Housing Dispute Learns Fate The Maryland man who burned down a home that resulted in the death of his girlfriend and her toddler daughter may spend the rest of his life in prison, the Charles County State's Attorney's Office announced. Vincent Anthony Fisher, II, 49, was convicted in September following a near two-week trial for his role in a fatal incident in March 2022 that resulted in the deaths of Rashawn Cline and Dashawn Cline. On Monday, Dec. 23, authorities announced that Fisher has been sentenced to 104 years in prison. During sentencing, Assistant State’s Attorney Jonathan Beattie told the judge, “Ther…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
MD Man Busted For Using Curious Methods In Effort To Burn Down Home With People Inside: PD MD Man Busted For Using Curious Methods In Effort To Burn Down Home With People Inside: PD
MD Man Busted For Using Curious Methods In Effort To Burn Down Home With People Inside: PD A tense situation unfolded over the weekend in Charles County as La Plata police arrested a man accused of trying to set his home on fire with several people inside. Officers responded to the 600 block of Hemlock Court on Saturday, Dec. 7 at around 4:15 a.m. after a call taker overheard someone making arson threats during a 911 call, police said.  Upon arrival, officers learned the suspect, identified as Michael Darnel Lassiter, 59, was reportedly attempting to ignite a fire using the oven, stove burners, and cooking oil. According to a witness, Lassiter’s actions endangered the other…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Flannel-Wearing Firestarter Sought After $50K Maryland Business Blaze: Fire Marshal Flannel-Wearing Firestarter Sought After $50K Maryland Business Blaze: Fire Marshal
Flannel-Wearing Firestarter Sought After $50K Maryland Business Blaze: Fire Marshal Fire investigators are turning to the public for help identifying the suspect who set a Cumberland tire shop ablaze early Saturday morning, causing $50,000 in damages. The fire broke out around 4:42 a.m. at D&K Tires on Greene Street after surveillance footage captured the suspect igniting a flammable device on a window air conditioning unit. Cumberland Fire Department crews arrived at the two-bay auto repair shop to find flames shooting from a window. Firefighters contained the blaze to an office area, but smoke, soot, and water damage spread throughout the business. Video surveillanc…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Deputy Fire Chief In Maryland Accused Of Setting Blaze He Helped Extinguish Deputy Fire Chief In Maryland Accused Of Setting Blaze He Helped Extinguish
Deputy Fire Chief In Maryland Accused Of Setting Blaze He Helped Extinguish A Cecil County fire official has been arrested for allegedly setting a brushfire on the property of a local addiction treatment center, leaving a community stunned. Robert "Bobby" Bennett, 39, the deputy fire chief of Hacks Point Volunteer Fire Company, was taken into custody Tuesday morning after investigators identified him as the person allegedly responsible for a blaze earlier this month, according to the Maryland Fire Marshal. The incident occurred on Tuesday, Nov. 4 when a brushfire burned two acres of land on Grove Neck Road at the Recovery Centers of America’s property, officials sa…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Serial Arsonist Telling Tall Tales Admits To Setting Series Of Maryland Fires: State's Attorney Serial Arsonist Telling Tall Tales Admits To Setting Series Of Maryland Fires: State's Attorney
Serial Arsonist Telling Tall Tales Admits To Setting Series Of Maryland Fires: State's Attorney A firebug responsible for a series of arson incidents in Montgomery County has copped to the crime and faces up to 80 years in prison, according to the state's attorney's office. Fernando Herrera-Rivera, 24, pleaded guilty this week to four counts of second-degree arson in connection to multiple incidents reported in September 2023. Specifically, Herrera-Rivera admitted to lighting fires involving:  A vehicle along Russell Avenue; A Gaithersburg Police Department building on Fulks Corner; A beer and wine store in the 400 block of South Frederick Avenue; A market in the 400 block…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Man Arrested For Arson After Altercation Involving Maryland Neighbor: Fire Marshal Man Arrested For Arson After Altercation Involving Maryland Neighbor: Fire Marshal
Man Arrested For Arson After Altercation Involving Maryland Neighbor: Fire Marshal An argument over stolen property led to arson charges for a 30-year-old Maryland man who allegedly attempted to start a fire outside of a neighbor's home on Sunday afternoon. Lexington Park resident Cesar Augusto Gonzalez-Lopez was arrested at around noon on Monday afternoon when members of the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office were called to the 46000 block of Sue Drive to investigate a blaze, according to the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal. Investigators say that a dispute over allegedly stolen property the previous night between Gonzalez-Lopez and the homeowner led to th…

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by Zak Failla
News
Maryland Dad Who Killed Mother, Grandmother In Front Of Infant Learns His Fate Maryland Dad Who Killed Mother, Grandmother In Front Of Infant Learns His Fate
Maryland Dad Who Killed Mother, Grandmother In Front Of Infant Learns His Fate The Maryland man who set an apartment on fire with an infant inside and killed his child's mother and grandmother in Southeast DC more than three years ago may spend the rest of his life in prison. Clinton resident Keenan Turner, 35, was sentenced to 68 years in prison in connection to the April 2021 murders of Wanda and Ebony Wright, the shooting of a third victim, and the attempted murder of an infant when he set the fire, federal authorities announced. Prosecutors say that Turner's intention in committing the offenses was "solely to avoid paying child support."  They had been pushi…

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by Zak Failla
News
Arsonist Convicted Of Killing Mother, Toddler In Maryland Townhome Over Housing Dispute Arsonist Convicted Of Killing Mother, Toddler In Maryland Townhome Over Housing Dispute
Arsonist Convicted Of Killing Mother, Toddler In Maryland Townhome Over Housing Dispute The Maryland man who burned down a home that resulted in the death of his girlfriend and her toddler daughter faces up to 140 years in prison, the Charles County State's Attorney's Office announced. Vincent Anthony Fisher, II, 49, has been convicted following a near two-week trial for his role in a fatal incident in March 2022 that resulted in the deaths of Rashawn Cline and Dashawn Cline. First responders in Charles County were called on March 31, 2022, to a townhome in Waldorf that was fully engulfed in flames with Fisher outside suffering from injuries that took place from an assault tha…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Suspect Charged With Murder, Arson For Maryland Fire That Killed Father Of Three Suspect Charged With Murder, Arson For Maryland Fire That Killed Father Of Three
Suspect Charged With Murder, Arson For Maryland Fire That Killed Father Of Three A suspect has been arrested for arson following the fatal two-alarm Baltimore County fire that claimed the life of a beloved husband and father earlier this week. Baltimore resident Dana Delmar Hunt, 43, has been charged with murder and arson in connection to the house fire on Monday, Aug. 26 on Greenway Road in Towson that resulted in 43-year-old Lorenzo Rene Trejo Coreas' death. 2 alarm apartment fire w/rescue. Fire crews respond to 8400 blk Greenway for apt fire. Crews arrive to fire showing and people trapped. EMS transported 4 peds patients with minor burns and 2 adults with serious…

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by Zak Failla
News
Maryland Man Ditched GPS Monitor While Awaiting Trial For Assault, Arson Arrest, Sheriff Says Maryland Man Ditched GPS Monitor While Awaiting Trial For Assault, Arson Arrest, Sheriff Says
Maryland Man Ditched GPS Monitor While Awaiting Trial For Assault, Arson Arrest, Sheriff Says A Maryland man arrested for multiple assault offenses and for threatening arson in St. Mary's County has escaped, officials say. Markko Darvelle Morsell, 34, is wanted for escape after removing his electronic monitoring device and fleeing the area following his latest arrest.  At the the time, Morsell was on pretrial release for charges that include three counts of second-degree assault, theft of $100 to under $1,500, and making threats of arson. He was described as being 6-foot-3 weighing approximately 320 pounds.  Anyone with information regarding Morsell or his whereabouts ha…

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by Zak Failla
News
Man Accused Of Killing Tech CEO In Maryland Pleads Guilty To Attacking Couple: Prosecutors Man Accused Of Killing Tech CEO In Maryland Pleads Guilty To Attacking Couple: Prosecutors
Man Accused Of Killing Tech CEO In Maryland Pleads Guilty To Attacking Couple: Prosecutors The man implicated in the murder of 26-year-old tech CEO Pava LaPere will spend the rest of his life behind bars after admitting to other crimes, the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office announced on Monday. Jason Dean Billinglsey, now 33, pleaded guilty to multiple counts of attempted murder after holding two people hostage and assaulting them in Baltimore. "Today’s plea ensures that a dangerous individual will spend the rest of his life behind bars, unable to harm anyone else," State's Attorney Ivan Bates said. "The horrific acts of false imprisonment, assault, and attempted murder h…

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by Zak Failla
News
Maryland Man Murdered Ex-Girlfriend, Grandmother Of Child He Attempted To Kill In DC: Feds Maryland Man Murdered Ex-Girlfriend, Grandmother Of Child He Attempted To Kill In DC: Feds
Maryland Man Murdered Ex-Girlfriend, Grandmother Of Child He Attempted To Kill In DC: Feds A Maryland man who was found complicit in the deaths of two people in Southeast DC in April 2021 is facing a lifetime behind bars, federal authorities announced. On Friday, a DC Superior Court jury returned a guilty verdict against Clinton resident Keanan Turner, 34, in connection to the murders of Wanda and Ebony Wright in the 2300 block of Good Hope Court SE three years ago. Metropolitan Police Department Prosecutors say that Ebony Wright was in a relationship with Turner when she became pregnant.  Turner asked her to terminate the pregnancy, and when she declined, he st…

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by Zak Failla
News
Baltimore Man Gets Decades In Prison After Howard County Victim Found Dead In Burning Home Baltimore Man Gets Decades In Prison After Howard County Victim Found Dead In Burning Home
Baltimore Man Gets Decades In Prison After Howard County Victim Found Dead In Burning Home The home invader implicated in a fatal incident and arson last year is going to spend decades in prison, according to the Howard County State's Attorney's Office. Baltimore native Dennis Lee Graham, 40, was sentenced to 70 years in prison with all but 40 years suspended for his role in the death of 64-year-old James Sents, Jr. in Elkridge. According to police, at approximately 10:30 a.m. on March 3, 2023, officers were called to Sents' home in the 6000 block of Old Washington Road to investigate a reported home invasion, where they were met by smoke coming from a bedroom. Upon arrival, fir…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Incendiary Fires Reported At Gambrill State Park In Maryland Incendiary Fires Reported At Gambrill State Park In Maryland
Incendiary Fires Reported At Gambrill State Park In Maryland An alleged arsonist is at large after intentionally setting incendiary fires at Gambrill State Park, according to the Maryland Fire Marshal. Shortly before 1 a.m. on Monday, July 1, investigators say that thy found a plastic portable toilet and State Park signage damaged by what was described as "malicious burning. The fires were reported by a passerby. According to the fire marshal, unknown suspects attempted to burn down the toilet and sign at the trailhead of the State Park using combustibles, though it is unclear who is responsible. The incident caused an estimated $1,000 in damage. I…

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by Zak Failla
News
Amply-Armed Employee Threatened To Blow Up Maryland Vehicle Administration Building: Officials Amply-Armed Employee Threatened To Blow Up Maryland Vehicle Administration Building: Officials
Amply-Armed Employee Threatened To Blow Up Maryland Vehicle Administration Building: Officials A well-armed employee who threatened to blow up the Maryland Vehicle Administration (MVA) building has been arrested and is facing multiple charges, according to the state fire marshal. Hagerstown resident Anthony Jacob Fritz, 38 - an employee of the MVA on Colonel Henry K. Douglas Drive - found himself in hot water with the police on Friday after allegedly making threats of mass violence.  Investigators say that on Friday morning, co-workers approached a Maryland State Police trooper to advise that Fritz claimed he was going to bomb their building. Following an investigation, the&nbs…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Firefighter Injured Battling Small Blaze Outside Maryland Apartment Building: Fire Marshal Firefighter Injured Battling Small Blaze Outside Maryland Apartment Building: Fire Marshal
Firefighter Injured Battling Small Blaze Outside Maryland Apartment Building: Fire Marshal One firefighter suffered a hand injury while dealing with a fire in Harford County that is believed to have been set by a minor, officials say. Crews from the Joppa-Magnolia Volunteer Fire Company were called late in the afternoon on Monday to the Village of Lakeview Apartments on Edgewater Drive in Edgewood, where there was a reported fire.  According to the Maryland Fire Marshal, investigators believe that a minor is suspected of igniting four boxes of air filters that was located on the ground, just outside the window of a maintenance office, on fire. Firefighters were a…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Accused Arsonist Firebombed Maryland Home With Molotov Cocktail: Fire Marshal Accused Arsonist Firebombed Maryland Home With Molotov Cocktail: Fire Marshal
Accused Arsonist Firebombed Maryland Home With Molotov Cocktail: Fire Marshal An alleged arsonist who firebombed a Cecil County home is facing attempted murder and other charges following an incident in March, the Maryland Fire Marshal announced on Tuesday. Christopher J. Shivery, 41, was arrested on June 11 following a months-long investigation into a North East house fire that was intentionally set by a "Molotov cocktail," officials say. Shortly before 10 p.m. on March 2, Maryland State Police troopers were called to the 1290 block of Old Philadelphia Road when the homeowners saw a flash outside their window and found flames burning outside. Fire investigators lat…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Man Who Set Motel Room Ablaze During Dispute Charged With Arson: Maryland Fire Marshal Man Who Set Motel Room Ablaze During Dispute Charged With Arson: Maryland Fire Marshal
Man Who Set Motel Room Ablaze During Dispute Charged With Arson: Maryland Fire Marshal Dozens of guests were displaced from a Southern Maryland motel this week after a man set a room on fire during a dispute, officials say. The Maryland Fire Marshal is investigating after Leonardtown resident Anthony Cleaver Mason, 64, allegedly set a blaze at the Super Eight Motel in California.  First responders from multiple agencies were called shortly after 8 p.m. on Monday, June 3 to the motel in the 22800 block of Three Notch Road to investigate a reported disturbance after an employee called 911 to report that some guests were arguing. They also reported that the occupants …

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by Zak Failla