ST. MARY'S COUNTY, MD (January 8, 2024) - An investigation on New Year's Eve in St. Mary's County led to the arrest of a Mechanicsville woman after she started a fire inside a home while two other people were inside.
Wendy Hope Firebaugh, 64, was charged last Friday after Deputy State Fire Marshals determined she was responsible for setting a fire inside a bedroom she rented. Investigators learned that Firebaugh set the fire while inside her bedroom while two other people were inside the home.
Just before 9:00 a.m., the Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched for a dwelling fire at 40231 Duke Road. When they arrived, they were told the owner had quickly extinguished a fire in a bedroom rented to Firebaugh. The owner told investigators he was walking past Firebaugh's room when he smelled something burning and Firebaugh coming out of the room. While the man's girlfriend called 911, he extinguished the fire with a pan of water.
With the assistance of the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office, Firebaugh was transported to MedStar St. Mary's for an evaluation.
On Friday, Firebaugh was charged with first and second-degree arson, malicious destruction of property less than $1,000, and two counts of reckless endangerment. She was transported to the St. Mary's County Detention Center and is currently being held without bond.
