Hagerstown Man Arrested for Attempted Murder After Allegedly Setting Storage Unit Ablaze with Woman Inside
A Hagerstown man was arrested Thursday morning after authorities determined he intentionally started a fire inside a storage unit while someone was trapped inside, leading to an attempted murder charge.
The Halfway Volunteer Fire Company responded to the Halfway Self-Storage facility on Virginia Avenue in Hagerstown just before 8 a.m. after reports of a building fire. Firefighters arrived to find an 8-by-40-foot unit fully engulfed in flames, which they were able to contain before it spread to other units.
Investigators later discovered that a person had been inside the burning unit and identified both the victim and the suspect. The suspect, 23-year-old Leviathan Godwin, allegedly argued with the victim — who had been living in the unit — before setting a fire at the entrance to trap her inside. The victim was forced to run through the flames to escape and was taken to Meritus Medical Center for smoke inhalation treatment.
Deputy State Fire Marshals located Godwin later that day at a nearby Sheetz and, with assistance from Maryland State Police, arrested him without incident. Acting State Fire Marshal Jason M. Mowbray praised the swift response of investigators, saying their quick action prevented further harm and brought peace of mind to the victim.
Godwin was booked into the Washington County Detention Center and charged with multiple offenses, including first- and second-degree arson, attempted second-degree murder, first- and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, and malicious destruction of property.
Officials also reminded the public that storage units are not meant for habitation and urged individuals in need of shelter to seek proper housing resources.
