Aberdeen man charged in connection with garage fire
Dec. 23—An Aberdeen man has been charged with arson, burglary and malicious destruction of property in connection to an October garage fire in Aberdeen.
Jacob Kyle Hickman, 25, was arrested and charged Wednesday with second-degree arson, first-degree malicious burning, malicious destruction of property over $1,000, second- and fourth-degree burglary and trespassing on private property.
He is being held at the Harford County Detention Center on $7,500 bail. A preliminary hearing will be held on Jan. 19, 2023.
The fire in the 300 block of Carter Street was discovered by a neighbor around 4 a.m. Oct. 19. It was a one-car garage with a 2004 Volvo inside and an attached shed. The neighbor's garage and vehicle were also damaged.
It took a team of about 25 firefighters, primarily from the Aberdeen Fire Department, about five minutes to control the fire. No injuries were reported. Fire officials say the garage and its contents are a total loss, with an estimated $100,000 in damage.
Deputy state fire marshals found evidence of a suspect trespassing onto the property and deliberately starting the fire inside the garage, which was owned by a senior citizen, the State Fire Marshal's Office said in a news release. Investigators were assisted by K9 Kachina, the news release said.
Investigators held multiple interviews, which led them to identify Hickman as the suspect, but the investigation continues into the motive and the connection between Hickman and the garage owner, the news release said.
"Arson is a heinous crime that is aggressively and thoroughly investigated. Our agency is dedicated to protecting the citizens and visitors of Maryland," said Chief Deputy State Fire Marshal Jason M. Mowbray. "Such a violent act against one of our older adults is especially appalling. I hope this arrest comforts her and the community just before the holidays."
