Teens Plead Guilty in South County Firebombing Case

Two of the three teens accused of firebombing a home in Galesville pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment on Friday before a Circuit Court judge in Annapolis, according to The Capital.

Christopher Lester, 18, of Deale and Crystal Kalinowski, 19, of Cape St. Claire, agreed to testify against a third teen, Alexander Lare, 18, of Churchton. The two will receive no additional jail time if they “testify truthfully” at Lare’s trial on Oct. 25, The Capital reported.

Back in June, Patch reported that fire investigators charged Lester, Kalinowski and Lare with attempted first- and second-degree murder, claiming they the trio attempted to destroy a Galesville home with Molotov cocktails.

Fire investigators said the teens arrived at a home on the 900 block of Galesville Road at about 1:30 a.m. on June 1, hoping to “exact revenge on the residents” inside. Fire officials said firebombing was retaliation following a dispute earlier in the evening.

“[The suspects] tried to use [Molotov cocktails], they threw them against the house,” said Anne Arundel County Fire Department Chief Michael Cox in June interview. “There was a small fire, but the fire had self-extinguished and the resident of the home heard some noises.”

Following the incident, the trio was charged with five counts of attempted first- and second-degree murder, attempted first- and second-degree arson, five counts of first- and second-degree assault, along with several other charges.

Lester and Kalinowski are scheduled to testify against Lare in his juvenile court trial on Oct. 25, according to The Capital. Lare is being tried as a minor because he was 17 at the time of his arrest.