Former NFL running back and former Brevard County high school football standout Javian A’Trell Hawkins has been arrested on multiple felony charges after investigators say he intentionally set fire to his former employer’s property in West Melbourne, Florida.
According to the West Melbourne Police Department, Hawkins was taken into custody on July 16, 2026, following an investigation into an early morning fire that occurred on July 15 at Tropic Care of Florida, where he had recently been terminated from his job.
Investigators allege that Hawkins unlawfully entered the secured business property, obtained gasoline from an unlocked company work vehicle, and deliberately ignited three company pickup trucks. The fire quickly engulfed the vehicles before spreading to the exterior of the commercial building. Firefighters with Brevard County Fire Rescue responded to the scene and successfully extinguished the blaze before it caused further damage.
Detectives identified Hawkins as the suspect through a combination of surveillance video, witness interviews, and physical evidence collected at the scene. An accelerant detection K-9 also assisted investigators during the investigation.
Hawkins is currently being held without bond at the Brevard County Jail. He faces several felony charges, including armed burglary, arson of a structure or business, three counts of arson, and felony criminal mischief.
The case remains under investigation. As with all criminal cases, Hawkins is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
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