Owner of Continental Automotive Group in Austin committed arson 4 times, fire officials say
An Austin car dealership businessman is facing additional arson charges after a police investigation found he set a total of four fires throughout Austin, according to an Austin Fire Department news release.
Dorsey Bryan Hardeman, 75, the owner of Continental Automotive Group, was re-arrested Wednesday and faces a total of four charges of arson and one charge of burglary in connection with multiple intentional fires in North, South and downtown Austin. He was initially arrested and charged with arson and burglary for a fire on Feb. 25 at 400 Nueces St., the former location of Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop. At the time of the fire, Hardeman was a person of interest in a Feb. 20 fire in South Austin, officials said.
Fire crews and investigators discovered metal filings and shavings on the ground below the door lock and noted that the lock appeared to have been drilled out at 400 Nueces St., his initial arrest warrant said. Surveillance footage captured at 3:45 p.m. showed an "older white male wearing a ball cap, glasses with dark lenses, and black knee brace sleeves on each knee" entered the building and poured liquid from a gasoline can for about 10 minutes, the affidavit said.
During the course of the investigation, law enforcement officials connected Hardeman to three other fires, two at 4811 S. Congress Ave. on Feb. 17 and 20, and another on Dec. 25, 2023, at 500 Pampa Drive, the statement said. All four fires occurred in buildings or lots that Hardeman had been attempting to purchase or was interested in. Investigators believe that Hardeman set fire to the two remaining mobile homes in an effort to clear the property, which were hindering the sale or development of the property, the release said.
More: Owner of Continental Automotive Group arrested on burglary and arson charges, records show
Surveillance footage connected Hardeman to all four fires, according to information from his affidavits and the statement provided by authorities. An insurance company gave law enforcement a video of Hardeman setting the fire at 500 Pampa Drive on March 8, the statement said.
“We have had no access to the investigation facts or findings at this time, so it would be premature for us to comment," Samuel Bassett, Hardeman's attorney, said in an email to the American-Statesman. "We are hopeful to get access to the State’s file to begin working on Mr. Hardeman’s case as soon as we are permitted to get the information from the District Attorney."
Hardeman will make his first court appearance on April 30. He is being held at the Travis County Jail on three bonds totaling $120,000.
Staff editor Tony Plohetski contributed reporting.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Officials: Austin businessman set 4 fires over two-month period