Investigators say a 20-year-old admitted to setting the blaze that damaged a Mitchell Avenue porch.
Hagerstown, MD (JK) – A Hagerstown man is facing arson charges after a fire that began in a trash can spread to the porch of a home on Sunday afternoon.
Firefighters were called to the 400 block of Mitchell Avenue shortly before 12:40 p.m. and quickly brought the flames under control. No injuries were reported. The Office of the State Fire Marshal determined the fire had been intentionally set.
Witness accounts identified 20-year-old Brandon Gaither (pictured above) as a suspect. Hagerstown police found him a short distance away, and investigators say he admitted to starting the fire.
Gaither was charged with second-degree arson and second-degree malicious burning. He was booked into the Washington County Detention Center and later released on his own recognizance after a hearing before a District Court Commissioner.
By Jimmy Key