A Harleyville man is behind bars charged with arson in the first degree. The Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Unit accuse John L. Johnson of Maxwell Road of setting a September 2005 fire in downtown St. George that caused extensive damage to downtown businesses.
That originated at the Cash Drug Store and spread to a couple of other adjoining businesses. A multi-jurisdictional fire response helped put out the fire. While fighting to control and extinguish the fire, a firefighter was seriously injured and required transport to the hospital. SLED and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) were called to assist in the follow-up investigation.
The Dorchester County Sheriff’s Investigations unit was the lead investigating agency. Johnson, 30, was arrested Thursday and booked him in to the
The estimated dollar loss from the fire was in the hundred thousand dollar range.
ABC News 4 to leave comments on news stories.