Pennsylvania man charged with Potomac home arson

Thirty-four-year-old John O'Donnell was taken into custody in his home town of Bensalem, Pennsylvania, in connection with a fire in Potomac, Maryland. (Courtesy MCFRS/Pete Piringer)

A Pennsylvania man has been arrested on murder and arson charges for allegedly setting a Potomac, Maryland, home on fire Monday night.

Montgomery County fire personnel responded to 11132 Korman Drive, near Kilgour Branch Stream Valley Park, around 10:45 p.m. Monday. They found a vehicle on fire in the driveway and smoke pouring out from the home.

A women was rescued from the second floor via ladder and transported to a hospital with injuries evaluated as nonlife threatening.

Five cats were in the home, and survived the fire.

Details of what happened have not been provided by the fire department.

Thirty-four-year-old John O’Donnell was taken into custody in his home town of Bensalem, Pennsylvania, on charges of attempted first-degree murder, home invasion, first- and second-degree arson, first-degree burglary, reckless endangerment and malicious destruction of property.

He is being held as a fugitive of justice.

He remains in Pennsylvania on a $500,000 cash bond and is awaiting an extradition hearing.

Fonda Mwangi

Fonda Mwangi is a Associate Producer at WTOP. Before joining WTOP she was an investigative intern at WJLA. She also wrote for student magazine, Envision, covering finances for college students. Fonda got her Masters in Journalism and Public Affairs from American University.

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