MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. — The former city of Laurel police chief was charged by a Montgomery County grand jury with a six-count indictment for allegedly setting fire to multiples homes. David Crawford, 69, was indicted Thursday on four counts of arson and two counts of reckless endangerment for three separate fires.
Montgomery County State's Attorney John McCarthy said the charges stemmed from fires set in 2016, 2019 and 2020, on properties owned by his stepson.
Here are the charges Crawford was indicted on:
Sept. 5, 2016
- 2 counts first-degree arson
- 1 count reckless endangerment
Sept. 29, 2019
- 1 count first-degree arson
- 1 count reckless endangerment
Nov. 17, 2020
- 1 count second-degree arson
In the first two fires, Crawford is alleged to have set fire to his stepson's unoccupied home in Clarksburg. In the first fire, the flames spread to an adjoining home, damaging both homes, thus two counts of arson. While McCarthy said Crawford's stepson was never home at the time of the fires, the neighbors were home during both the 2016 and 2019 fires, and thus reckless endangerment charges were added.
The 2020 fire was set in a garage behind a home owned by his stepson. It was not the same house burned in the first two fires, but his stepson's new house after he moved, McCarthy said.
McCarthy said Crawford also has pending indictments in three other jurisdictions, including Prince George's, Howard and Frederick counties. First-degree arson carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in jail and a max fine of $50,000.
Crawford has been tied to at least 12 fires since 2011, according to statements from the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office and Laurel Mayor Craig A. Moe.
Several homes were occupied at the time of the attacks and the targeted residences included ones where children lived, according to court documents. All of the fires were determined to be "incendiary in nature," which means there were no accidental sources found in the area of the fire.
Court documents allege the 69-year-old routinely used arson for vendettas, and had a hit list that included family members, colleagues, a chiropractor and a rival on a community association.
Crawford's daughter, Carrie Turner, also claims she was targeted by her father and suffered years of alleged abuse.
“My dad and I have had a tumultuous relationship," Turner said. "Ever since I would say ... my teen years/ if I wanted to do normal teen things, he would retaliate in some, usually an emotionally abusive way.”
In a lawsuit filed in Howard County Circuit Court. Turner says she endured threats and attacks between 2008 and 2010, including gunshots in homes, gas cans left in cars, anonymous letters left at work. Turner says the threats only stopped after she was forced to sign adoption papers granting her father and stepmother full custody of her 5-month-old daughter.
Turner said police have now reopened her case as detectives try to link her father’s charges of arson and attempted murder to her years of alleged threats and attacks surrounding the custody of her child.
“My main concern is to get my daughter out of that toxic situation, to get her in a safe home," Turner said.
RELATED: Daughter of former Laurel police chief accused of arson says she was targeted by her father
Crawford was a police officer in Maryland beginning in the 1970s. He retired from the Prince George's County Police Department as a Major in 2000. Subsequently, he worked for the police department in District Heights and ultimately, became the Police Chief in Laurel and was asked to resign from Laurel in 2010, according to a statement released from Prince George's County State's Attorney Aisha Braveboy's office.
"The job of individuals in public safety is to serve and protect the public," Braveboy said. "When someone does not do that and breaks the public's trust he or she must be held accountable and my office is here to do just that. It doesn't matter who the perpetrator is or what position the individual holds."