Firefighters charged in house blaze

Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2006

Joshua Lee Oliver, 22, of Cobb Island was charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit second-degree arson. David Anthony Hayden, 21, of Cobb Island and a 16-year-old Issue boy were also charged with two counts of conspiracy and one count of second-degree arson.

Deputy State Fire Marshal Jeff Nelson investigated the fire at 15567 Potomac River Drive in Cobb Island. Nelson stated in the charging documents that the single-story wood framed structure was destroyed.

‘‘I examined the entire scene and determined the fire was incendiary,” he said.

During the investigation, Nelson received information that three members of the Cobb Island Volunteer Fire Department might have been involved in the fire, according to charging documents.

Oliver, Hayden and the juvenile were questioned about the fire, and different versions of what happened began to emerge.

‘‘All of the suspects confessed to planning the fire on the night of Aug. 14, 2006,” Nelson wrote in the charging documents. ‘‘They decided they wanted to set a fire so they could have a fire call.”

But it is unclear which suspect actually set the fire.

Oliver and Hayden both said that they believed the juvenile was responsible for setting the fire.

The juvenile maintains that he did not set the fire, but said that it was either Oliver or Hayden who had done it, according to charging documents.

Hayden told investigators that he drove to the cottage with the juvenile and a flare.

The charging documents state that the juvenile got out of the car and returned a short time later. He then told Hayden that he had not set the fire, and they returned to the firehouse.

The three suspects were on the first fire truck to arrive at the scene to extinguish the fire, according to court documents.

Nelson estimated the fire caused $10,000 in damage to the cottage.

Deputy Chief William Lawman declined to comment on the status of Oliver, Hayden and the juvenile as members of the Cobb Island VFD.

Oliver and Hayden are scheduled to appear for a preliminary inquiry in Charles County District Court on Oct. 30.

The juvenile was referred to the state Department of Juvenile Services and was released to the custody of his parents.

E-mail Michael Kantor at mkantor@somdnews.com.