A Baltimore artist received a three-year prison term yesterday for setting fire to his former girlfriend's car in Cockeysville on July 25, a few days after she filed stalking and harassment charges against him.
According to the statement of facts in the case, a witness saw Evan D. Hammond, 23, just after midnight near the woman's 1986 Toyota Corolla, which was parked at her home on Silver Leaf Court in the Town and Country North apartments. Minutes later, the car was in flames.
Fire investigators said one side of the car had been doused with a flammable liquid, according to Assistant State's Attorney Stephen R. Roscher.
Hammond, a commercial artist who lives in the 2000 block of Madison St., pleaded guilty to second-degree arson yesterday. He is to serve three years of a 10-year term, under a plea agreement with Assistant Public Defender Debra Michael.
Baltimore County Circuit Judge John Grason Turnbull II accepted the plea bargain and ordered that Hammond stay away from the victim, pay $4,500 in restitution and undergo a psychiatric evaluation upon release from prison.
Although the conviction is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, sentencing guidelines called for six months to three years, Mr. Roscher said. Hammond was already on probation as the result of convictions in the city earlier this year for telephone misuse, destruction of property and harassment of another woman.
In the Baltimore County case, the prosecutor said, 29-year-old Monica Tinson broke up with Hammond in May. He then began to harass her by calling and appearing at her home. She filed four charges against him that were dropped as part of the plea bargain.
The day after the car fire, Mr. Roscher said, Hammond called Ms. Tinson and told her it had been "therapy" for him and threatened to kill her, saying he had a gun. He was arrested and jailed Aug. 10.
Hammond admitted the crime, saying he realized later that he had "done something wrong."