Police arrested an Arnold teenager Tuesday morning after he allegedly set fire to his aunt?s home and then assaulted her with an ax.
Just before 2 a.m., 17-year-old Deontary Lorenzo Neal reportedly set fire to Giselle Goodrum?s home in the 800 block of Mago Vista Road in Arnold. Goodrum and three others, Dallas Evans, 65, Linda Harry, 54, and John Arnold, 56, were all in the home at the time.
Police said that Neal struck Goodrum several times in the legs and stomach with an ax.
Evans, Harry and Arnold managed to escape the house.
Police said they did not know why Neal wanted to harm his aunt, who he lived with, or if he intended to hurt the other three residents in her home.
As Neal was chasing her, Goodrum fled to a neighbor?s house, where someone called the police.
Neal tried to get into the neighbor?s house by breaking glass windows and damaging the front door, finally breaking down the rear entry door, police said.
Just as the police arrived, Goodrum ran out through the front door, and Neal was taken into custody.
Neal was charged as an adult with four counts of attempted first-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder, plus various charges of assault, malicious destruction and reckless endangerment, police said.
He is being held at the Jennifer Road Detention Center without bail.
Goodrum was transported to Anne Arundel Medical Center for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. Evans, Harry and Arnold were taken to Anne Arundel Medical Center for treatment of smoke inhalation.
