The former police chief of Laurel has been arrested in connection with a series of intentional fires set across five Maryland counties over the past decade.

David Crawford, a resident of Ellicott City, is facing numerous arson and attempted murder charges in multiple jurisdictions. Victims of the nighttime attacks, none of whom were identified, include a former City of Laurel official, another former Laurel police chief, two other former law enforcement officials, two relatives, two of Crawford’s former doctors, and a neighbor, according to the Prince George’s County Fire Department.

Investigators allege that the homes and vehicles were connected to people with whom Crawford, 69, had disagreements. In six of the 12 cases, Crawford is being charged with attempted murder because individuals were sleeping inside at the time of the attack.

The fires, which date back to 2011, took place in Prince George’s, Montgomery, Howard, Frederick, and Charles counties. Fire and police detectives say the cases were being investigated separately, until they were connected due to a link between victims during the last known attack in 2020.

“The arsonist exhibited a similar pattern of behavior using gallon jugs filled with gasoline and a stick wrapped in cloth to set the fires. Also there was a similar, but very generic vehicle description, a silver sedan, in several of the cases,” the Prince George’s County Fire Department said in a statement.

During a search of Crawford’s home in January, investigators say they found several pieces of evidence including a list of known victims.

Crawford resigned as chief of the Laurel Police Department in 2010, the year before the first known arson. He previously worked as chief of police for the District Heights Police Department after retiring as a Major from Prince George’s County Police in 2000, according to an account from the Prince George’s County Fire Department.

He is in the booking process at the Howard County Detention Center. It’s not clear if Crawford has an attorney; the case filings have not yet been made public.