Former Maryland Police Chief David Crawford was arrested Wednesday on a series of arson and attempted murder charges, NBC reported.
The 69-year old allegedly set dozens of fires across multiple counties in Maryland from 2011 to 2020, according to the report.
Authorities said all the victims had some dispute with Crawford prior to their property being set on fire. His targets also included former law enforcement officials in Laurel, Maryland, according to NBC. A press conference streamed on Howard County Executive Calvin Ball’s Facebook page Thursday addressed the matter. (RELATED: REPORT: Man Hit With Arson Charges For Setting Fire At City Hall)
Howard County Police Chief Lisa Myers announced Crawford would be held without bail due to the nature of the charges.
“Yesterday, arrest warrants for David Crawford were granted through various jurisdictions, and at 11:45 AM, he was arrested in Howard County where he is a resident,” she said.
Howard County Fire Chief Bill Anuszewski provided further details about the investigation.
“While there were no reported injuries to either residents or fire department personnel as a result of these fires, considering the time of day, the very nature of the fires were set, the outcome could have been very different. Thankfully, all the residents in the homes were alerted and able to escape without harm,” Anuszewski said.