PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY MAN CHARGED IN WALDORF HOTEL FIRE
CHARLES COUNTY, Maryland (March 11, 2016) - Deputy State Fire Marshals have charged, Thomas Irving Meriedy Jr. (41) of Forestville,
after determining he was responsible for setting two different fires inside a
local hotel.
On March 1, 2016
at 2:03 AM, Waldorf Volunteer Fire Department firefighters were dispatched to the
Courtyard by Marriott hotel located at 3145 Crain Highway in Waldorf for an
automatic fire alarm. Upon arrival, firefighters discovered two separate fires
inside the hotel, the first being a mattress set on fire which was extinguished
by a sprinkler and later discovered a smoldering waste bin. Deputy State Fire Marshals were requested to
the scene and confirmed the fire departments findings that both fires had been
intentionally set. After observing hotel surveillance video, Investigators quickly determined Meriedy was responsible and an arrest warrant was
issued. Hotel staff reported Meriedy was
a guest of the hotel and reported he was confrontational with staff prior to
the incident. 76 of the hotel’s 91 rooms were occupied at the time of fire.
Meriedy
turned himself in to Charles County Sheriff’s Office yesterday, March 10, 2016.
He was charged with 1st Degree Arson,
1st Degree Malicious Burning, Malicious Destruction of Property over $1,000.00 and
Reckless Endangerment. Meriedy was later
released on a $10,000.00 bond. While no clear motive has been established,
domestic issues could be a factor
Thomas Irving Meriedy Jr.
The
Office of the State Fire Marshal is an agency of the Department of
State Police dedicated to helping protect citizens from fire and
explosion through a comprehensive program of education,
inspection, investigation and fire protection engineering. For more
information on fire safety call 1-800-525-3124, log onto our website at: Maryland State Fire Marshal and/or our Facebook Page.
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