Maryland Woman Indicted on Arson and Fraud Charges Following November Fire

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Grasonville woman charged with arson and fraud after fire. Investigation details intentional blaze and multiple indictments.

A Grasonville, Maryland woman has been indicted by a Queen Anne’s County grand jury on multiple charges related to arson and fraud, following a fire at her residence last November. Appollonia K. Ryans, 40, was arrested on Friday after an extensive investigation concluded she was responsible for intentionally setting the blaze. The fire, which occurred on November 18, 2024, at a home on Perrys Corner Road, caused an estimated $70,000 in structural damage and $15,000 in lost contents. Notably, no smoke alarms were present in the home at the time of the incident.

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The investigation, led by Deputy State Fire Marshals, allege the fire was deliberately set. Over several months, investigators meticulously gathered evidence and interviewed witnesses. Their efforts, in collaboration with the Queen Anne’s County State’s Attorney’s Office, culminated in the presentation of the case to a grand jury on August 5, 2025. The grand jury subsequently returned a nine-count indictment against Ryans. The charges include first and second-degree arson, first and second-degree malicious burning, malicious burning for fraud, providing false and misleading information for fraud, attempted insurance fraud, theft, and attempted theft. The Queen’s Anne’s County Sheriff’s Office executed the arrest warrant on Friday evening without incident, and Ryans is currently being held at the Queen’s Anne County Detention Center awaiting a bond review.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from the Maryland State Fire Marshal

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