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Essex man charged with arson in Columbia
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Related Topics: BALTIMORE
BALTIMORE (Map, News) - An Essex man was arrested on arson and attempted murder charges after he set fire to the Columbia town house of his estranged girlfriend and her daughter, Howard police said.
Scott Allen Pryor, 44, used an accelerant on the first floor around 7:40 a.m. Monday, Howard police said.
His ex-girlfriend’s daughter, Breanna Alman, 19, and Andrew Lee, 20, were in the town house when the fire started. The ex-girlfriend and home-owner, Sheryl Alman, 46, was not home at the time, police said.
Breanna Alman collapsed at the front door while trying to escape and had to be rescued by fire and rescue personnel. She was found unconscious with burns to about 20 percent of her body, said Bill Mould, spokesman for the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue. She remains in critical condition at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Burn Center, police said.
Lee, whose relation to the family is unknown, climbed out of a second-floor window, police said.
“Neighbors saw him hanging and scurried around to bring over a ladder to him,” Mould said. It is unclear whether he used the ladder or jumped about 10 feet to the ground. He is in serious condition at University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore City. The fire was extinguished in about 10 minutes, leaving an estimated $500,000 in damage.
“It looked suspicious instead of accidental, like it had potential to be a murder, which is when homicide detectives take over,” Mould said.
Witnesses saw Pryor leaving the residence before the fire started. He lived at the residence from 2004 until recently when the relationship ended, police said. Detectives arrested Pryor on Tuesday morning in Edgewood. He faces two counts of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of attempted second-degree murder, first- and second-degree arson, assault, burglary and other related charges. He is being held at the Howard County detention center without bond.
cpeirce@baltimoreexaminer.com
Comments from Examiner Readers
12:49 PM MST on Mon., May. 12, 2008 re: "Fire investigators’ qualifications questioned"
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1:58 PM MST on Thu., May. 8, 2008
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7:18 AM MST on Tue., May. 6, 2008
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12:33 PM MST on Tue., Jul. 3, 2007
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1:10 PM MST on Mon., Jun. 25, 2007
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Mike Licht said:
Re: Unqualified fire examiners -- Does anyone else remember the unqualified MPD fingerprint examiner? Dozens of cases were thrown out of court when he was exposed. Time to re-examine the Eastern Market fire, since ATF opinions differed from those of DCFD.
7 agree | 5 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
haha i know one of the kids in the case and I'm glad they are locking him away...good riddance
3 agree | 4 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
wonder if any of people who set the porch on fire know what about the elderly woman who died when the dc arsonist set one on her porch. to mr. hats-off with the "moral smile," get a life, and a conscience.
5 agree | 3 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Jeez, pal. Try Strunk and White ("The Elements of Style"). No, it's not a television show or a wine cooler but it'll help.
150 agree | 119 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Sounds like the work of Self-rightous Christians. Also any one who take thier hats off to an arsonist is not a moralist
142 agree | 143 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
I dont normally condone committing crimes...but this case brings a moral smile to my face..."hats-off" Mr. Arsonist
193 agree | 184 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
1.2 million for computers.. Get rid of the resident trooper program and they will have several million for equipment and deputies..
149 agree | 159 disagree
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