A former Daleville employee was arrested on Aug. 29 in connection with the Aug. 15 arson at Daleville's city shop, which resulted in five city vehicles and a storage barn being destroyed.
Daleville Police Chief Harvey Mathis said Jonathan Brock Wofford, 34, of Newton, was arrested and charged with second-degree arson, second-degree criminal trespass and five counts of first-degree criminal mischief.
According to police, the city shop, located on Robert C. Barns Street, was broken into shortly after 10 p.m. on Aug. 15. Several pieces of city equipment and vehicles valued at an estimated $250,000 were set on fire and destroyed.
City property destroyed in the fire included a truck, two bush hog tractors, a bucket truck, a knuckle boom brush truck and a storage barn.
Mathis said Daleville police investigators worked with the Dale County Sheriff’s Office and were able to obtain information from a concerned citizen that linked Wofford to the fire.
Wofford was later picked up by Dale County Sheriff’s Office investigators and transported to the Daleville Department of Public Safety.
Mathis said Wofford was interviewed by Daleville police investigators and has denied any involvement in the case, but was arrested after enough evidence was already obtained.
Daleville police have stated more arrests could be pending.
City officials confirmed Wofford was a former public works employee, working for the street department. He was employed by the city from Feb. 3, 2005 until April 22, 2013, when he was terminated.
Wofford was booked in to the Dale County Jail under no bond.
Daleville police continue to ask anyone with information on the matter to contact the Daleville Police Department at 598-4442.
A $2,500 award was offered in the case by the Dale County District Attorney's office for any information that led to the arrest and conviction of an individual or individuals.
Check back with The Southeast Sun for more on this developing story.
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