Macomb Township

Warrant issued for township woman for setting home on fire

By Robert Guttersohn
C & G Staff Writer

The Macomb County Sheriff’s Office has obtained a warrant for the arrest of a township woman who officials believe intentionally set fire to her own home earlier in August.

Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham said the 44-year-old woman will be charged with arson of a dwelling.

The suspect has not been arraigned because she is still hospitalized, Wickersham said.

Macomb Township Fire Chief Robert Phillips said the suspect was alone in the house at the time of the fire and taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation.

“Once she is released, we’ll make contact with her and ask her to turn herself in,” Wickersham said.

At about 8 a.m. on Aug 6, Phillips said several fire trucks responded to a fire on the 21000 block of Carlton Drive just south of 22 Mile Road.

Phillips said there were several key points that led him to believe the fire was started intentionally.

When firefighters attempted to enter the front door, they could not gain entrance and were forced to enter the home through the back door. Inside, they discovered several doors throughout the house, including the front door, were blockaded, Phillips said.

Also, six separate fires were burning on both the first and second floor.

“There were several candles clearly used to set several of the fires,” Phillips said.

He said in some places where there was less-severe fire damage, firefighters spotted remnants of candle wax.

Phillips said a neighbor called the Fire Department, entered the home and found the suspect sitting at her dining room table.

The suspect allegedly told the neighbor to go away and leave her alone, Phillips said.

By the time the Fire Department arrived, the suspect had willingly left her burning home and was conscious in her front yard.

The fires caused “significant damage” to the home and took about 30 minutes to extinguish, Phillips said.

The evidence was collected and turned over to the sheriff department’s fire investigation unit.

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Robert Guttersohn at rguttersohn@candgnews.com or at (586)218-5006.