La Marque city manager’s residence targeted with graffiti, arson The La Marque Fire Department arson investigator is investigating an incident where someone set a portion of a fence at City Manager Joshua “J.B.” Pritchett’s house on fire on Thursday (7/3/2025), in the 700 block of Dewberry Road in the Woodhaven subdivision of La Marque. Someone also used profanity in tagging the fence: “(F-word) You, Lowry Rules,” the spray-painted message read. The message clearly references Joseph Lowry, a La Marque Council Member and Pritchett antagonist. It was roughly 7:15 AM when Pritchett claimed he smelled something burning and called 911. Fire Chief David Merryman said that when La Marque firefighters arrived on the scene, the fence fire had already been extinguished. The chief said the fire damage was minimal and posed no significant threat to the house 8 feet away. Pritchett, his wife, and three children were home at the time of the fire report, the chief said. The chief said Kia, the fire department’s arson canine, alerted to the use of a chemical accelerant, and there seemed to be a pour pattern on the fence. The chief said samples of the burned wood from the fence were sent to a lab to confirm the type of accelerant used. With the assistance of the La Marque Police Department, investigators will review security footage from Pritchett’s house and canvass the neighborhood for cameras at nearby properties that may have captured the culprit. Merryman said that, as a routine matter, the arson investigator would review the video from 12 hours before the vandalism being reported. In this case, the focus will start at approximately 11 PM on Wednesday (7/2/2025) because Pritchett told investigators that when he arrived home the night before, he didn’t notice anything suspicious, Merryman said. La Marque Deputy Chief Chad Waggoner said his department would also review local license plate reader - Flock - cameras to assist in finding the person responsible for the vandalism. “Tagging the house is one thing,” Pritchett said. “This is not just tagging the house when an arson fire was set while my family slept inside.” In comments made to The Galveston County Daily News as he worked to remove the graffiti from the fence, Pritchett was overcome with emotion. “As a God-fearing Christian, we’re supposed to forgive, but it seems very unforgivable,” he said. Pritchett didn’t call out Lowry or his supporters for the attack. Online, however, Lowry’s detractors unloaded on the council member, accusing police and local media of a cover-up to protect the often demagogic Lowry or criminal harassment and intimidation. In recent weeks, Lowry has been the driving force behind an online campaign disparaging Pritchett. The recently appointed city manager is the latest city official to draw Lowry’s online onslaught of insults and often unfounded claims of wrongdoing. Lowry denied any involvement or awareness of who may be involved in the attack on Pritchett’s residence. “Hell no,” Lowry said when asked if he knew anyone who would have been involved. “(I’d) drag them to the police department or fire department myself if I know who did it.” #JoshuaPritchett

Posted by i45NOW TJ Aulds at 2025-07-04 09:26:05 UTC