Three more fires linked to Lexington man facing multiple arson charges, deputies say

A Lexington man who was arrested in March and accused of setting fires now faces new arson charges for multiple blazes from 2020, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department said.

Corey Wayne Roscow was charged with three counts of third-degree arson, the sheriff’s department said in a news release. The new charges are related to three fires started last November, according to the release.

On March 25, the 28-year-old was charged with two counts of third-degree arson for a separate incident from that week, the sheriff’s department said.

“Roscow is accused of setting fire to two abandoned buildings and an abandoned car on James Dunbar Road last year,” Sheriff Jay Koon said in the release. “Witnesses told us he was on the scene of all three fires and he appeared to try to avoid law enforcement near each scene.”

No injuries were reported in the 2020 fires.

Last month, Roscow was accused of starting fires at two buildings on Pond Branch Road, including one in the 500 block, the sheriff’s department said.

Roscow was seen in security camera footage near one of the buildings before any flames were visible on March 23, according to a release. In another surveillance video, Roscow is seen driving near the other fire a few minutes later, the sheriff’s department said.

Roscow actually reported both of the Pond Branch Road blazes to a fire station on Calks Ferry Road, but not before flames were visible, Koon said.

His bond was set at $20,000 on the combined charges in March, Lexington County court records show. After his bond was set at $1,000 on the three new charges, Roscow was released from the Lexington County Detention Center, the sheriff’s department said.

If convicted, Roscow could face 75 years behind bars, as the maximum punishment for each of the felony arson charges is 15 years in prison, according to South Carolina law.

In addition to the sheriff’s department, the fires were investigated by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the Springdale Police Department and the Lexington County Fire Service.

The sheriff’s department asks anyone with information about the fires to call CrimeStoppers at 888-CRIME-SC or submit an online tip.