The deputy fire chief of Hacks Point Volunteer Fire Company was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly setting a brushfire in the Earleville area. Robert Bennett, 39, was arrested by Deputy State Fire Marshals Tuesday morning.
The investigation began when a fire was reported on the Recovery Centers of America's property on Grove Neck Road on November. The former MBNA Bank conference center is about 13 miles west of Middletown.
Firefighters from Hacks Point, including Bennett who drove the brush rie truck, responded. Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze, but not before it had scorched two acres as a fall drought continues in the region.
An investigation into the cause of the fire was launched after the addiction treatment center contacted the Office of the State Fire Marshal after seeing Bennett on surveillance video setting the fire.
Bennett was taken into custody at his home without incident and is facing multiple charges including second-degree malicious burning, malicious destruction of property, and reckless endangerment.
Bennett is currently being held at the Cecil County Detention Center without bond.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities urge anyone with additional information to contact the Office of Maryland State Fire Marshal at 410-386-3050.
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Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
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Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.