A Chesapeake man has been arrested and charged with a series of vehicle thefts and arson over the weekend in Stafford County reports a joint statement from the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office and the Stafford County Fire and Rescue Department.
Stafford, VA–At approximately 1:35 A.M. on Saturday, July 16th, units with Stafford County Fire and Rescue were dispatched for a reported vehicle fire in the 100 block of Hamlin Drive in the Grafton Village area. Units found a fully involved vehicle fire and quickly brought it under control.
While returning from that call, units discovered an additional vehicle fully involved in fire a few blocks away in the 600 block of Culpeper Street. The Stafford County Fire Marshal’s Office arrived on scene and began investigating the vehicle fires and quickly launched a joint investigation with the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office.
On Sunday, July 17th, just after 1 A.M. the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a stolen vehicle in the area of Hamlin Drive and Jett Street, in the Grafton Village area. The vehicle was located abandoned nearby and the Stafford County Fire Marshal’s Office and Stafford County Sheriff’s Deputies began to investigate. Sergeant B. U. Demirci and his K-9 partner Titan tracked the suspect back to a residence in the 700 block of Jett Street, where Michael Bowling, 19, of Chesapeake, was arrested after a brief standoff.
The Stafford County Fire Marshal’s Office has charged Bowling with two counts of arson involving vehicles. The Stafford County Sheriff’s Office has charged Bowling with grand larceny and destroying a vehicle. Bowling is being held at Rappahannock Regional Jail without bond.
The investigation is ongoing and additional charges are pending.
