Man arrested on arson warrant after trespassing at a Columbia fire station

A man is in jail after allegedly trespassing at Fire Station No. 2 on Worley Street in Columbia.

Damien Shaw, 31, of Columbia, was arrested for multiple outstanding warrants, but he is being held on an arson warrant out of Baldwin County, Ala.

The trespassing incident happened early Saturday morning. Just after 5 a.m., firefighters called police because a man was banging on the station windows and acting in an unusual and disruptive manner.

“The police department responded and when they got there, they found the subject in one of our personnel’s vehicles,” said Battalion Chief Brad Fraizer with the Columbia Fire Department. “Not the fire truck, but their personal vehicles.”

Fraizer told ABC 17 News he finds it odd that someone wanted for arson was trespassing on the fire department’s property.

ABC 17 News contacted law enforcement in Alabama, but because of the Veterans Day holiday, did not reach anyone for comment.

Shaw is no stranger to law enforcement. He is on probation for a misdemeanor assault back in March. Court documents also say he was ordered to go to a “Men Exploring Non-Violent Ways” class in the last year.

Fraizer said because Shaw has a seemingly violent past, he’s glad nothing serious happened at that station.

“Thankfully, this event was a nonevent, for the most part,” he said.

Shaw’s bond is set at $100,000.