WOMAN CHARGED IN ARSON OF FORECLOSED HOME
HARFORD COUNTY, MD (May
12, 2017) -- Deputy State Fire Marshals have arrested a Joppa woman after
determining she was responsible for intentionally setting her foreclosed home on fire and later being rescued by neighbors.
On April 20,
2017 at 5:37 PM, neighbors observed smoke and flames coming from 200 Kearney
Drive in Joppa and had reason to believe, the occupant, Susan Lee Harclerode
(60) and her dogs were possibly inside. Neighbors
broke a rear window and rescued Harclerode and her (3) dogs. Firefighters from Joppa-Magnolia Volunteer Fire Company and
surrounding departments arrived at the single family dwelling and later
extinguished the fire in 20 minutes. Harclerode was later transported to Harford Memorial
Hospital for evaluation and her dogs were taken to Harford County Humane Society
by officers with Harford County Sheriff’s Office Animal Control.
Deputy State Fire Marshals were requested to
conduct an investigation and determined the fire was incendiary in nature
(arson). Investigators later discovered Harclerode had a small trash can fire
inside her home just days prior to this fire that was extinguished by firefighters,
as well as Harclerode had been evicted from the home the day before. After
consulting with Harford County States Attorney’s Office, Deputy State Fire
Marshals lodged charges against Harclerode and an arrest warrant was issued.
This
afternoon, Deputy State Fire Marshals arrested Harclerode at Harford County
Humane Society while she was attempting to retrieve her dogs. Harclerode was charged with 1st
Degree Arson, 2nd Degree Arson, Malicious Burning 1st
Degree and Trespassing on Private Property.
Harclerode is currently being held at
Harford County Detention Center and awaiting bond review.
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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