May 14, 2008 11:11 pm US/Eastern
"Person Of Interest" In Palm Bay Fires In Custody
Brian Crowder Has Not Been Charged In The Arson Investigation
PALM BAY (CBS4) ―
Despite the arrest of a 31-year-old suspect for allegedly starting a smaller fire in the area, police are still not sure of the arsonist responsible for the massive brush fires that damaged dozens of homes and burned thousands of acres in Central Florida.
Even though by Wednesday night the fires had died down significantly, 20 homes have been destroyed, 140 damaged, and thousands of acres have burned. As firefighters continued to battle Florida wildfires, Palm Bay police said on Wednesday they were holding a suspect in one small fire set earlier in the day.
Police also released his picture whom they said was a "person of interest" in their arson investigation.
Shortly after 9 a.m. Wednesday, police said the man was spotted in the backyard of a Palm Bay home. Officers took him into custody. He's been identified as 31-year old Brian Crowder.
"I can say this; he has no criminal arson history," said Police Chief Bill Berger. "We have information to believe that he has a past history with us."
Berger would only say that this criminal activity was elsewhere and not in their municipality, however, he says Berger denied being the one who set the larger fires. Detectives are not sure who the arsonist behind the larger fires may be.
Police say the man they've taken into custody was seen tossing something into some woods around 4 a.m. A fire started moments later. Officers chased him, but lost him in the densely wooded area. Police used a reverse 911 call system to alert area residents to be on the look out for the suspect.
Berger said Crowder has a lengthy criminal history and there was an active warrant out for his arrest for a probation violation. Berger said Crowder has not been charged in connection with their arson investigation into the wildfires which have scorched nearly 10-thousand acres across Brevard County and destroyed at least 20 homes in the Palm Bay area; more than 160 other structures have been damaged.
But Berger has been charged with unlawful burning of land for the small fire he lit on a small piece of land.
Experts say the fires found ample fuel because the state has not been able to hold controlled burns near residential developments to cut back vegetation. Firefighters are battling palmetto palms that should be knee-high, but have been allowed to grow for 20 or 30 years.
Statewide, 108 fires in 14 counties had burned 17-thousand acres as of Tuesday.
Governor Charlie Crist declared a state of emergency Monday.
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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