A volunteer firefighter has been arrested and charged for his alleged role in multiple fires in Washington County, according to authorities.
Ronald Lee Perry, 49, was arrested on Wednesday in the 600 block of Quarry Road in Brazos County, authorities said.
The Rocky Creek Volunteer Fire Department confirmed that Perry is a firefighter with the department and that he is on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
Authorities said an arrest warrant was obtained for him on a second-degree felony arson charge.
According to a release, Perry's arrest is part of a yearslong investigation into fires in Washington County from 2020 through 2025, when an unusual number of grass fires occurred of unknown, suspicious, or intentional origin.
The Rocky Creek Volunteer Fire Department posted a statement on behalf of them and the Washington County Firefighters Association saying in part that they are deeply troubled to learn of allegations involving one of their members, and that if proven, these actions represent a serious violation of the public's trust and are contrary to the values and standards of the fire service.
The Washington County sheriff would not say how many fires were allegedly set or where they occurred, citing the ongoing investigation, but he did tell ABC13 they were all grass fires.