Midlands man charged with arson after firefighter was hurt battling blaze, police say
A Midlands man is behind bars after being charged with multiple crimes, including arson, after a fire destroyed a building and injured a firefighter, the Sumter Police Department said.
Michael Raymond Reynolds Jr., a 49-year-old Sumter County resident, was charged with first-degree arson, third-degree arson, two counts of second-degree burglary (violent), and possession of burglary tools, police said in a news release.
Reynolds admitted to being in the vacant Broad Street building and setting the fire, according to the release. There was no word on a motive.
At about 4 a.m. Sunday, officers responded to the fire, and both smoke and flames could be seen coming from the rear of the building that was a former residential care facility, police said. Because of the fire, a section of Broad Street was closed until later in the day, according to the release.
Reynolds was seen walking along Hospital Circle, away from the burning building, police said. That’s a block away from where the building was burning.
The Sumter Fire Department said 35 firefighters responded to blaze, and one suffered burns and had to be taken to the Augusta (Georgia) Burn Center for treatment, according to the release. The injured firefighter was released from the hospital Sunday afternoon and is recovering at home, police said.
No other injuries were reported, but officials estimated the fire, smoke and water caused about $240,000 worth of damage to the building and its contents, according to the release.
Police said Reynolds is being held in the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office Detention Center.
Despite the arrest, both police and the fire department are continuing to investigate the blaze.
This is not the first time Reynolds has been arrested.
Reynolds was out on a $2,125 personal recognizance bond from a Nov. 22 arrest on a pending petit larceny ($2,000 or less) charge, Sumter County court records show.
Additionally, on June 9, Reynolds pleaded guilty to a first-degree assault and battery charge, a second-degree domestic violence charge, and a grand larceny charge (value more than $2,000 but less than $10,000), according to court records.
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This story was originally published December 13, 2022 at 11:49 AM.
