Neighbors said that there was an altercation involving Bowie last week, who was locked out of a townhouse, and he was then spotted on the back deck shouting that he wanted to "burn everything down and harm everyone," before a caller on the line with police saw him using a chair to break a glass door.
The incident was first reported shortly before 9:15 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 24, in the 2200 block of Waller House Court in Frederick.
When officers from the Frederick Police Department responded to the home, they found the back door broken on the deck, and there was smoke pouring out of the townhouse, prompting a call to Frederick County Fire and Rescue Service personnel.
Firefighters were able to knock down the flames while officers evacuated other nearby townhouses connected to the burning home. An adult and child were also assisted by the Red Cross following the fire.
Bowie was ultimately identified by police as a suspect through a Ring doorbell camera that showed him breaking into the home right before the fire was set. According to fire investigators, a K-9 determined that the fire was set using an accelerant inside the building after the break-in.
The 47-year-old Bowie did not make it far and was spotted by officers wearing the same clothes in the Ring video, and he was arrested without incident.
Bowie was hit with 17 charges that include:
Nine counts of recklessly engaging in conduct that created a substantial risk of death or serious physical injury;
- Malicious burning to a dwelling;
- Malicious burning to a structure;
- Malicious burning to a dwelling with damage exceeding $1,000;
- Verbally threatening to burn a structure;
- Breaking and entering a dwelling to commit a crime;
- Breaking and entering a dwelling to commit a crime of violence;
- Breaking and entering a dwelling.
No information about his initial court appearance was released by police.
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