DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A 10-year veteran of DeKalb Fire Rescue has been arrested and charged with arson, DeKalb Fire Rescue Chief Darnell Fullum announced in a news conference Monday afternoon.
Jairus Hardaway was arrested on Friday, Fullum said.
Hardaway is now on administrative leave with pay, accused of setting a car on fire in the River Road area of South Dekalb on January 6th for insurance money.
Firefighters say he was not on duty at the time.
"Naturally we here at Dekalb County Fire Rescue are saddened to hear this disturbing news of one of our own," Fullum said. "However we believe in truth and transparency, even if it's at the expense of one of our own firefighters."
Along with Hardaway, the man who owned the car that burned, Malasta Hill, is also facing first degree arson charges.
He's expected to turn himself in Monday.
Fullum told Channel 2 Action News he did not know the relationship between the two.
Investigators won't say what led them to the pair in this arson case, only that they had a lot of evidence.
WSBTV
