By Alison Knezevich
The Baltimore Sun
BALTIMORE — An employee of the Baltimore fire department was arrested Wednesday and charged with first-degree arson in connection with a fire at his home in eastern Baltimore County last year.
Joseph Alphonzo Heinze II, 33, was being held without bail at the county detention center. He was a probationary emergency medical technician for the city fire department, Baltimore County police said.
Heinze was hired by the fire department in May and is now suspended without pay, city spokesman Anthony McCarthy said. Heinze also was a member of the Bowleys Quarters Volunteer Fire Department, police said. He has been suspended by the company, police said.
His lawyer, Andrew I. Alperstein, said Heinze maintains his innocence.
“He denies he broke the law, he is adamant that he is innocent and we are looking forward to his trial,” Alperstein said in an email to The Sun.
Baltimore County police say firefighters were dispatched to the 3900 block of Cutty Sark Road on Dec. 22, 2015. They found the first floor on fire and put out the blaze. No one was injured.
Police say arson detectives determined that Heinze was responsible, and an arrest warrant was issued Dec. 6.
Heinze, who police said now lives in Parkville, did not have an attorney listed in court records.
Copyright 2016 The Baltimore Sun