Oconee County Sheriff’s Office Arrests Former Volunteer Firefights With Two Counts of Second Degree Arson
(Seneca, SC)—————-The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office has charged a Fair Play man with two counts of Second Degree Arson. 21 year old Darrian Skylar Smith is accused of setting fire to an abandoned home on Shore Drive in Fair Play on March 29th. Smith is also accused of setting fire to a second abandoned home in Fair Play at Herring Road at Shore Drive on March 31st.
According to a press release from the Sheriff’s Office, neighbors of the occupants of the home involved in the second fire reported seeing a man leaving the home’s driveway approximately ten minutes before the fire began.
As a result of the investigation, evidence was obtained that indicated that the suspect had ties to a local fire department. Based upon that fact, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division was notified and began a joint investigation with the Sheriff’s Office.
According to a press release issued by Oconee County Emergency Services, Oconee County Fire Chief Charlie King says that Smith was a volunteer firefighter and was assigned to the Fair Play Fire Station. Smith made his initial application for volunteer firefighter status in September of 2018. According to Chief King in a press release, state law required a criminal background check which was completed on September 18th of last year with no history found. The background check was completed by SLED.
Smith has been separated from fire service in the county, according to the release from Oconee County Emergency Services.