Texas has witnessed the arrest of the founder of a significant car dealership consortium for the second time in just two months on suspicions of initiating a string of fires. Authorities from the Austin Fire Department and the Austin Police Department believe that Dorsey Bryan Hardeman, the 75-year-old initiator of Continental Automotive Group, deliberately ignited multiple blazes targeting residences and businesses as far back as December 25, 2023. The aim behind these fires appeared to be clearing locations hindering the sale or development of real estate properties that caught Hardeman’s interest. Apparently, this is not a strategy for expanding one’s automotive sales network in a positive manner.
Following his arrest on April 24 for arson in connection with fires set on Christmas Day the previous year, as well as fires on February 17 and 20, Hardeman now faces two first-degree arson charges and one second-degree arson charge as per the Austin Business Journal. Previous to this, he had been taken into custody on February 29 for felony arson and burglary offenses related to an incident on February 25.
The head honcho of the major dealership group had posted bail after the initial arrest, only for authorities to detain him once more subsequent to AFD detectives discovering surveillance footage of Hardeman unlawfully entering a former local bicycle shop in downtown Austin. Bart Knaggs, the owner of Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop, informed the arson investigators that Hardeman, who owned a neighboring property, had previously shown interest in purchasing the site where the bike shop once thrived.
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This incident downtown resulted in a prompt response by AFD personnel, and local media outlet FOX7 references sources stating that Hardeman forcibly entered the premises with a gasoline can in hand. Detectives uncovered metal fragments on the ground, believed to be remnants from the lock Hardeman had evidently drilled to gain access. Once inside, Hardeman proceeded to ignite the gasoline, light matches, and watch the ensuing flames. Following around ten minutes, he nonchalantly returned to his Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 and departed before the arrival of firefighters. Fortunately, the building’s sprinkler system thwarted the arson attempt, and the fire damage was limited.
The chronological order of events indicates that Hardeman embarked on a series of arson offenses that commenced two months earlier on Christmas Day and culminated with the fourth fire on February 25. AFD investigators asserted that the December fire was motivated by a business transaction, as it was deliberately initiated at a property Hardeman was seeking to acquire. It appears that the subsequent fires in early February, as per investigators, were aimed at removing two mobile homes obstructing a real estate deal Hardeman was pursuing.
The esteemed entrepreneur from Austin is presently detained at the Travis County Jail awaiting trial. Hardeman established Continental Automotive Group in 1966, according to a feature in the Austin Business Journal. Although he retired in 2017, he manages a segment of the group’s real estate assets as reported by Automotive News. Upon retirement, he predominantly passed on ownership of the dealership group to his children, who oversee its operations across eight dealerships dispersed throughout the Lone Star State—from Dallas and Austin to San Juan in South Texas. These dealerships cater to a clientele ranging from luxury brands like Infiniti, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz to more affordable options from Honda, Subaru, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram.