Teen charged in connection to car fires at Gaithersburg High School

Friday, Nov. 10, 2006

A 16-year-old Gaithersburg High School student was arrested Friday in connection with a series of early-morning car fires at the school.

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue officials arrested the student shortly after he arrived for class Friday morning and have charged him with multiple counts of arson, Fire and Rescue spokesman Capt. Oscar Garcia said.

Firefighters arrived at Gaithersburg High at about 3 a.m. Friday after receiving reports of a brushfire near the school. They found four vehicles on fire behind the school and quickly extinguished the blaze, Garcia said. The vehicles were part of a school automotive class.

Damage was estimated at $20,000. The school was unharmed and classes proceeded normally Friday.

The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation, but Garcia said one vehicle was lit and the fire spread to the other three.

A school surveillance camera caught the scene on tape, and school security officials were essential in identifying the suspect, Garcia said. He noted that the suspect's face was difficult to see on the tape, but security officials recognized the suspect's personal mannerisms.

Garcia said the surveillance tape also showed a possible suspect car, but it remains under investigation whether anyone else was involved.

Charges against the student include four counts of second-degree arson, one count of malicious burning, one count of trespassing and one count of destruction of property.