Former Laurel Police Chief Indicted On Arson Charges In MoCo

GERMANTOWN, MD — The former Laurel police chief accused of setting fire to multiple homes, residential garages, and vehicles in Maryland has been indicted by a Montgomery County grand jury.

David Crawford, 69, of Ellicott City, is believed to have set at least a dozen fires from 2011 to 2020 in Montgomery, Howard, and Frederick counties. Three of the fires occurred in Montgomery County and involved properties owned by his stepson, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office. In those incidents, he was indicted on four counts of arson and two counts of reckless endangerment.

According to court documents, Crawford first set fire to his stepson's home in Clarksburg in 2016. The stepson wasn't home at the time, but the flames did spread to an adjacent property while the neighbors were inside.

Prosecutors allege he set his stepson's unoccupied home ablaze again in 2019. A third fire was reportedly set in a garage behind the stepson's other home in 2020.

According to authorities, Crawford targeted people with whom he had previous disagreements.

Crawford has pending indictments in other jurisdictions, including Howard and Frederick counties. First-degree arson carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in jail and a maximum fine of $50,000.