Sept. 17--DURHAM -- After a nearly seven-month long investigation, the Durham Police Department arrested a former Peterborough on-call firefighter and EMT for numerous counts of arson and criminal mischief that took place in a single day in February.
Gregory J. Potter, 22, of Concord Street in Peterborough, faces five counts of arson; two charges of criminal mischief that involved causing reckless damage to two vehicles; and one count of falsification of physical evidence.
The five fires Potter is accused of starting occurred on Saturday, Feb 2. between the hours of 1:06 to 3:30 a.m., four of them happened on Main Street in Durham.
The breakdown of charges against Potter is as follows:
-- Arson -- Knowingly starting a fire at 15 Main St., at 1:06 a.m. on Feb. 2 which caused damage to an occupied structure.
-- Arson -- Knowingly starting a fire at 6 Main St. at 1:45 a.m. on Feb. 2 which caused damage to an occupied structure.
-- Arson -- Knowingly starting a fire at 19 Main St. at 2:30 a.m. on Feb. 2 which caused damage to an occupied structure.
-- Arson -- Knowingly starting a fire at 20 Main St., at 2:48 a.m. on Feb. 2 which caused damage to an occupied structure.
-- Arson -- Knowingly starting a fire at 4 Smith Park Lane, at 3:30 a.m. on Feb. 2 which caused damage to an occupied structure.
-- Criminal mischief -- Recklessly caused damage to a 2003 Nissan Maxima by causing a fire at 4 Smith Park Lane at 3:30 a.m. on Feb. 2.
-- Criminal mischief -- Recklessly caused damage to a 1999 Volkswagen Golf, by causing a fire at 4 Smith Park Lane at 3:30 a.m. on Feb. 2.
-- Falsifying physical evidence -- Purposely deleted six photos from his cellular phone so as to impair their availability in an arson investigation conducted by the Durham Police Department.
According to a statement released by Peterborough Town Administrator Pam Brenner, the town of Peterborough and its Fire Department was informed by the N.H. State Fire Marshal's Office that an investigation had been opened into this matter in Durham.
Brenner said the town then immediately placed Potter on administrative leave.
Subsequently, Brenner said, Potter resigned from the Peterborough Fire Department on April 1. According to a press release issued by the Durham Police Department on Monday, they arrested Potter and his bail was set at $100,000 cash.
Potter was transported to the Strafford County jail and has a pending arraignment today at 10:45 a.m. in Dover 7th Circuit Court.
The Durham Police Department was assisted in this investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the New Hampshire State Fire Marshal's Office, the Strafford County Attorney's Office, the New Hampshire State Police Crime Lab, the University of New Hampshire Police Department and the Durham Fire Department.
Copyright 2013 - Foster's Daily Democrat, Dover, N.H.
