The funds raised by Cpl. Taylor will go to help the employees displaced by the fire.

A Maryland State Trooper is lending a helping hand to employees of a local restaurant. Cpl. Josh Taylor of the Maryland State Police was a regular at Jilly’s Bar and Grill in Pikesville. The popular bar and restaurant was burned to the ground in an act of arson on October 28, 2020, leaving employees without an income. Taylor decided to start a fund to raise money to help the 25 people now facing unemployment during the pandemic.

He raised a total of $1,000 and earned a commendation for his work from the Maryland State Police.

Jilly’s had been a favorite place to eat during the workday for both Taylor and other members of the state police. Many of his colleagues were happy to donate money to help the workers they had come to know as well. The owners of the restaurant have placed the money in a Gofundme account they created to help their employees during this difficult time. When the Chief of the Criminal Investigation Bureau, Lt. Colonel Bill Dofflemyer heard about what happened, he presented Taylor with a Commander’s Award for helping Jilly’s employees.

Courtesy Jilly's Bar and Grill, Facebook

Jilly’s Bar and Grill has been a neighborhood staple in Pikesville for over 45 years. Around 4 a.m. on October 28, the Baltimore County Fire Department responded to a three-alarm fire at the business. The fire caused the second floor to collapse and the building was completely destroyed. Fortunately, the fire did not spread to any neighboring businesses.  

An investigation revealed the fire was started by four propane tanks placed against the building and set ablaze. Authorities have charged 40-year-old David McDermott of Reisterstown with second-degree arson in relation to the fire. Owners say McDermott had been harassing patrons outside the bar a few days earlier and was issued a trespass order. Investigators believe he set the fire in retaliation.