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WILDFIRES IN BREVARD, VOLUSIA

Prosecution Calls Arson Suspect "Serious Threat To The Community"

POSTED: 6:44 am EDT May 15, 2008
UPDATED: 5:33 pm EDT June 6, 2008

Arson suspect Brian Crowder was denied bond during his first court appearance Thursday after investigators said he admitted to starting fires. Still, police said Thursday morning they are questioning several other possible suspects.


COURT APPEARANCE: Slideshow Of Suspect | Raw Video
SUSPECT TALKS: Crowder Says He "May Have" Started Fire With Cigarette
SUSPECT WALKS: Crowder Being Lead To Police Van After Arrest
CROWDER DOCUMENTS: Arrest Affidavit 1 | Arrest Affidavit 2 (PDFs)
VIDEO REPORT: Judge Denies Bond For Palm Bay Arson Suspect

Meanwhile, police arrested a woman in Cocoa Thursday for allegedly starting fires. Investigators said they received information from witnesses that said they saw Margaret Jean Kaderabek set three or four small fires at their apartment complex. Kaderabek would set the fire, let it burn for a moment and then put it out herself. (Read More About Arrest)

Police said they're also checking out anyone and everyone with arson charges in their background. That expanded search means follow-up interviews with as many as 25 people.

Crowder is still being considered the prime suspect, police said Thursday. During his first appearance Thursday afternoon, Crowder was denied bond.

"This individual made admissions that he started fires adjacent to a home with the present conditions, drought conditions affecting Brevard County, we feel that he's a very serious threat to the community," the prosecution argued.

"I find that no amount of bond or any bond would be sufficient to protect the community," Judge David Silverman told him.

Detectives said Crowder is an unusual man. He has a criminal history with six outstanding warrants for violation of his probation. Chief Bill Berger said Crowder's mother told police he had a juvenile fascination with fire, and the man and his mom were having problems.

"Remember, it was Mother's Day that this occurred," Berger said of the larger blazes, which investigators said were set in a ring around the city. "There's been some tension between him and his mother. This could have been significant; we're looking at that aspect."

But when Crowder was being walked to the police van Thursday morning, he said any fire he set was not intentional.

"I believe that I may have accidentally, may have, started them by tossing a cigarette out the door," Crowder said as he was being escorted by police.

Despite his denial, Palm Bay police said witnesses saw Crowder actually starting a fire on Alvarado Street early Wednesday morning. Police said after nine hours of interviews, he did admit to starting them and said that it wasn't an accident.

Once police were given the information from witnesses they were hot on Crowder's tail. They said he started several other fires as diversions while he was being chased.

Crowder does have a history of drug use that may have played a role in Wednesday's capture.

"He claims he was high at the time, which doesn't go with the scene because our witnesses said they saw an item being thrown with a flame," said Ernest Diebel, an arson investigator with the Palm Bay Police Department.

Crowder will remain jailed on no bond until his next court date, which has not been scheduled. Crowder has hired a private defense attorney for the fire-related charges and a public defender for the violations of probation.



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