WAXHAW, NC (WBTV) – At first it seemed to be just a fire — still it was a fire that was big enough that it closed Highway 75 in Union County.
But, the fire at the cabinet shop that closed the road was only the tip of the iceberg of a one-man crime spree that wrecked places all over town, authorities say.
The man who set the fire also stole two vehicles — from two different places — and tried to rob an ATM.
The most visible episode of the crime spree was that Highway 75 was shut down early Tuesday morning from McNeely Road and Western Union School Road because of the fire.
Investigators believe the same man who set the fire that destroyed a cabinet shop, stole a vehicle from that area.
Here is a timeline of events from police to WBTV:
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Stole Pickup from a landscaping company.
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Traveled down Highway 75 to a cabinet company set the building and several vehicles on fire.
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Traveled back North on 75 into the city of Monroe where he crashed into doors of a Food Lion
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Traveled across Monroe and crashed into an ATM where the truck was disabled.
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After that, he broke into a house and stole another vehicle.
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A short time later, he was taken into custody.
Witnesses say they saw the shop and several vehicles nearby on fire and called it in, which lead to the capture of the suspect.
By 8:15 am the fire was out, but roads were still closed because of fire operations in the area.
Jonathan Dowdy was charged with first degree burglary, felony breaking and entering, motor vehicle theft, and possession of a stolen vehicle.
Dowdy has not been charged yet to the fires in Waxhaw, but that could change.
The following story is courtesy on WBTV
(Update)
Johnathan Dowdy has been charged with:
3 counts of felony breaking and entering.
2 counts of possession of stolen property.
2 counts of larceny after breaking and entering.
1 count of larceny of a motor vehicle.
1 count of possession of a stolen vehicle.
1 count of misdemeanor larceny.
He is in the Union County Jail under a $75,000 secured bond.
