A 23-year-old man has been charged with six counts of arson in reference to a string of fires early Sunday in Gaithersburg that broken a police station, eating places, shops, a hair salon and a automobile, in keeping with charging paperwork.
Fernando Herrera-Rivera of Gaithersburg was taken into custody Sunday close to North Frederick Avenue and is being held with out bond, in keeping with Pete Piringer, spokesperson for Montgomery County Hearth and Rescue Service (MCFRS).
Piringer estimated collective injury of at the least $1 million; nobody was injured moreover Herrera-Rivera struggling obvious blisters, authorities mentioned.
The Maryland Workplace of the Public Defender, which is representing Herrera-Rivera, on Friday declined to remark.
Charging paperwork define the string of fires. Round 2:21 a.m. Sunday, the on-duty Montgomery County Hearth and Explosives Investigator was dispatched to 433 S. Frederick Ave., charging paperwork acknowledged.
Upon arrival, MCFRS personnel discovered and suppressed two fires within the Holbrook Purchasing Middle—one within the Dock of the Bay, a beer and wine retailer, and one a number of doorways down on the El Salvadoreno Latin Market, at 441 S. Frederick Ave., charging paperwork mentioned.
“Each companies had proof of being damaged into as their glass door fronts had been smashed and damaged by landscaping rocks close by,” charging paperwork state. A half-full pink gasoline can was discovered within the Dock of the Bay, in keeping with charging paperwork.
Dock of the Bay administration posted Wednesday on its Fb web page that the shop can be closed “due to the assaults and we can be again quickly. Thanks for the assist.”
Then, at 3:05 a.m., MCFRS obtained a name a few hearth on the Gaithersburg Metropolis Police Division Station at 12 Fulks Nook, which is half a mile from Holbrook Purchasing Middle, and nobody was within the station on the time due to the close by blazes, in keeping with charging paperwork.
MCFRS personnel discovered hearth on the aspect of the constructing and extinguished it, and video footage confirmed a person lighting the fireplace, charging paperwork mentioned. There was ensuing injury to the outside of the constructing, in keeping with Piringer.
The Montgomery County Public Security Communication Middle then obtained a name at 3:17 a.m. a few automobile on hearth at 3 Russell Ave., which is lower than half a mile from the Gaithersburg police station, charging paperwork indicated.
MCFRS personnel discovered a 2019 Toyota Camry ablaze, together with a close-by constructing on hearth, in keeping with charging paperwork.
Charging paperwork mentioned the fireplace was set on an out of doors staircase positioned to the aspect of the constructing and expanded into the construction. One of many companies, The Taco Bar, “obtained extreme hearth injury” and two different companies, La Frontera (a Tex-Mex restaurant) and Dina’s Hair Designs, had been “broken by water and suppression efforts,” in keeping with charging paperwork.
Round 3:37 a.m., a Montgomery County Police patrol officer noticed Herrera-Rivera, who allegedly matched the suspect description in video footage, close to 501 N. Frederick Ave., which is 1.5 miles from 433 S. Frederick Ave., in keeping with charging paperwork. Herrera-Rivera additionally possessed round 20 lighters, which matched the lighters discovered on the scenes at two of the fires, charging paperwork alleged.
The officer detained him, charging paperwork indicated.
Whereas police ready to move him to the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit, one other hearth was reported at 101 S. Frederick Ave. outdoors Pepco substation #39—subsequent to the Gaithersburg police station—in keeping with charging paperwork. The door was scorched, however the inside was not broken, charging paperwork indicated.
Piringer mentioned such a speedy string of fires is a uncommon prevalence.
“Fortuitously, it doesn’t happen fairly often to this diploma,” Piringer advised MoCo360.
Piringer mentioned there are further fires that haven’t been formally linked to Herrera-Rivera but, and extra arson prices are pending.
Herrera-Rivera was recognized by means of video surveillance and witness accounts, and after he was interviewed on the Central Processing Unit, legislation enforcement decided there was possible trigger to arrest him, Piringer mentioned. Herrera-Rivera was charged with six counts of second-degree arson.
Throughout an interview with investigators, Herrera-Rivera mentioned he had been pushed to 441 S. Frederick Ave., the place his “abductors” shot by means of the window with a sniper rifle and compelled him to enter the El Salvadoreno Latin Market, in keeping with charging paperwork. He additionally mentioned that he noticed smoke inside the shop and left, per the charging paperwork.
Then, he acknowledged he noticed the fireplace on the police station after which noticed a person, who regarded identical to him, stuffing newspaper beneath a automobile within the parking zone at Russell Avenue and lightweight it on hearth, the charging paperwork mentioned.
In line with charging paperwork, “he didn’t admit to lighting the fires himself, solely he occurred to see them as they had been occurring.” Nonetheless, an investigator famous “blisters resembling these of burns” on each of Herrera-Rivera’s palms, charging paperwork acknowledged.
In line with digital courtroom data, a bench warrant had been filed on March 24 for Herrera-Rivera for not showing in courtroom in an unrelated case. He had been charged Dec. 4, 2022, with possessing and concealing a harmful weapon, on-line courtroom data indicated.
Herrera-Rivera has a preliminary listening to scheduled in his arson case for Oct. 13.
