St. Mary’s County Man Arrested in Connection with Multiple Arson Incidents

ST. MARY’S COUNTY, MD – Authorities have apprehended a Mechanicsville man in connection with a series of arson fires that occurred Tuesday evening along Three Notch Road. Deputy State Fire Marshals have charged Jeffrey Allen Wathen, 41, with multiple offenses, including first-degree arson, following an investigation that utilized both human and K9 resources.

The incidents unfolded shortly after 9:00 p.m. in the 26000 block of Three Notch Road, where multiple fires were reported. The Hollywood Volunteer Fire Department responded to fires that affected an exterior flower bed, a shed, a deck, and another exterior area behind a nearby property. Firefighters or residents quickly extinguished each blaze. Due to the suspicious nature of the events, the Office of the State Fire Marshal was requested to investigate, and a team of Deputy State Fire Marshals arrived at each scene.

During the course of the investigation, deputies encountered Wathen, who resides in the vicinity. Wathen approached investigators at one of the fire scenes, claiming to be a victim of a fire in his own yard and generating further attention. As investigators gathered evidence, they obtained surveillance footage from a neighboring property that depicted Wathen fleeing from one of the fire scenes shortly after flames became visible.

With the assistance of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, Wathen was taken into custody and transported to the St. Mary’s County Detention Center. His charges include first-degree arson, two counts of second-degree arson, and two counts of first-degree malicious burning. The coordinated response from the fire department, state fire marshals, K9 “Taylor,” and the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office is credited with apprehending the suspect and preventing further danger to the community.

The Office of the State Fire Marshal is dedicated to protecting citizens from fire and explosion through education, inspection, investigation, and fire protection engineering. For more information on fire safety, individuals can call 1-800-525-3124 or visit the office’s website or Facebook page. An arson hotline is also available at 1-800-492-7529.

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

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