April 16th, 2022 by WCBC Radio

On Friday, at 10:54 AM, the Cumberland Police responded to a reported domestic disturbance in the 400 block of Baltimore Avenue in Cumberland. When officers arrived they found the female occupant of the residence in a confrontation with a male subject on the front porch while an active fire could be seen on the interior of the residence. The Cumberland Fire Department was dispatched to the location to extinguish the fire.

Officers interviewed the female victim and learned that the male, identified as 46 year old James Kenneth Flohr, Jr., had assaulted the victim and intentionally set the fire. The victim had obvious injuries as a result of the assault so officers advised Flohr he was under arrest. Flohr, who was violently resisting, was taken into custody at that time after a brief struggle.

During the struggle Flohr made statements that he had hidden a homemade explosive device in the residence. The Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office responded to investigate the cause and origin of the fire while bomb technicians searched and cleared the residence to make sure that the building and surrounding residences were safe.

Investigators with the Allegany County Combined Criminal Investigation Unit (C3I) also responded to assist in the criminal investigation.

Flohr was charged with Attempted 1st Degree Murder, 1st Degree Arson, and 1st Degree Assault. He is currently being held at the Allegany County Detention Center, pending an initial appearance before a District Court Commissioner.

The investigation is continuing by the Cumberland Police, the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office, and C3I.