UPDATE: Ian Simpson, 39 of Lusby, and Lisa Tippett, 43 of Lexington Park, have been charged with first degree arson for starting the fire. Both are being held pending a court appearance. It has also since been reported that Tippett was not the current owner of the house. As of this writing, it is unsure as to whom the building belongs.
Lisa Tippett has appeared in our headlines before. Check out this Bay Net Exclusive.
Shortly before 3 a.m., Bay District Fire Fighters were called to a fully involved house fire in Hermanville.
The first units on the scene advised the fire had breeched the structure’s roof and a second alarm was sounded for more units.
Police on the scene questioned the owner and an associate who reported accidentally starting the fire. Fire units finished on the scene near 5:30 a.m.
The destroyed house apparently has quite a history with local law enforcement. There are reports that the house was vacant and that the owner was told not to trespass on the property. However, the house was the frequent scene of drug arrests.
Neighbors report that vagrants would break into the house to smoke crack on a number of occasions. One neighbor stated, “Police were always there, even after they kicked out the previous owners, the deadbeats kept coming back.”
Lisa Marie Tippett, the home’s prior owner who was evicted from the property, had been given an order not to trespass at the house. Tippett admitted to being in the house when the fire was started and referred to it, “as her house.” After giving a written statement to the State Fire Marshall she was taken to the Maryland State Police Barracks by a St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Deputy. An un-named male also gave a statement and was taken from the scene.
