A Columbia man has confessed to torching four cars, seemingly at random, in the city over the past year.
Columbia police arrested Terrance Lamont Brown, 33, of Old Hwy. 13 South on Jan. 5 on a public drunkenness charge based on a witness description of someone seen at a nearby fire that day on White Street. Police added arson charges Saturday and Monday.
Detective Capt. Rita Pickering said Tuesday investigators have been probing the fires for months.
“They were all consistent with times,” she said. “He allegedly caught rides into the city. There’s no intent as to whose vehicle it might be; he wasn’t targeting anyone. He may be responsible for more vehicle fires. There’s really no rhyme or reason to it.”
Pickering said the fires Brown has been charged with include:
• Jan. 5, 605 White St., destroyed a 2009 Toyota
• Dec. 5, 810 Central Ave., burned a 2014 Toyota.
• Aug. 4, 604 Branton Ave., 2000 Buick
• Two fires that destroyed a 2008 Toyota Camry on June 22 and June 26 at 504 S. High School Ave.
Pickering said the State Fire Marshal’s Office was contacted and is investigating alongside the CPD.
“Kevin Martin of the State Fire Marshal’s Office will go through individual cases to see if we can tie them to his M.O. (modus operandi), but for now he’s being charged with these four cases,” she said.
Brown was taken into custody shortly after the Jan. 5 fire, according to Pickering.
“He was brought in after a witness description,” she said. “He was spotted not far from where the arson occurred. Sgt. Davy Bass apprehended him. He was initially charged with public drunk and after questioning him, he was charged with the arsons.
“We put it all together with the witness statements, and Kevin and I concluded that we had our arsonist. He admitted to four of them in interviews.”
Brown was still lodged in the Marion County Jail on $20,000 bond as of deadline Tuesday.
Pictured Above: Two fires last June that destroyed this Toyota Camry were deemed arson. | Photo by Mark Rogers
