ROCKINGHAM — An Anson County man is facing multiple charges, including first-degree arson, and is accused of setting a fire with children inside a home.
According to court records, Reginald O’Dell Jr. of Wadesboro maliciously set a fire at a residence on Ashley Street in Rockingham on March 8. At the time of the fire, two children were inside the home. Authorities said he broke into the residence and set fire to personal property, including a couch, as well as areas of the living room, dining room and kitchen.
Officials said the children were able to escape the residence unharmed after smoke alarms were activated.
Investigators with the Rockingham Police Department, assisted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, located O’Dell at a residence on Gaston McLean Road in Rockingham. The Rockingham Police Department’s Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Team was used to conduct pre-operational surveillance on the residence. During the surveillance, O’Dell was seen leaving the residence and entering a nearby wooded area. The UAV team guided officers and agents to O’Dell as he hid in the woods.
O’Dell was charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder, first-degree arson, first-degree burglary and burning personal property. He was taken into custody without incident and processed. He was brought before a magistrate, where he was issued no bond, and was then placed in the Richmond County Jail.
“This level of surveillance and operational assistance was made possible by the Rockingham Police Department’ s new DJI Matrice 4T drone. This drone, which entered service earlier this year, features extended flight time, a 20-mile range, an infrared thermal camera, and 112x zoom capabilities, among other features significantly enhance the department’s previous UAV capabilities,” said the Rockingham Police Department in a media release.
RPD continued, “This arrest is another example of the Rockingham Police Department’s commitment to providing the citizens of Rockingham with the highest level of service by equipping our officers with advanced technology, specialized training, and equipment.”