Courts. (Credit: Flickr/Creative Commons)
A Richland Township woman initially charged with four felony counts of arson in connection with a fire that was set in her twin home in July, endangering her two cats and a family with two young children next door, had four of them withdrawn at a preliminary hearing last week.
Diane Theresa Jones, 71, of Redwood Drive, had counts of putting people in danger of death, endangering property and reckless endangerment of inhabited buildings, and possessing explosive or incendiary material, withdrawn at her hearing, according to charging documents.
One felony charge of arson- reckless burning or exploding was held for arraignment later this month in Bucks County Common Pleas Court, as well as four misdemeanor counts of recklessly endangering another person, according to court records.
A misdemeanor charge of cruelty to animals was withdrawn at the hearing.
On July 24, at 5:51 a.m., police were dispatched to a fire on Redwood Drive at a north-facing, two-story attached twin home, per the affidavit. A homeowner attached to Jones’ twin reported to police that smoke was beginning to enter their home, police said. Furthermore, smoke alarms could be heard going off in Jones’ home.
The husband, wife, and two juveniles exited the home and reported that Jones was not at home and her vehicle was gone, police said.
Upon arrival at the home, police confirmed smoke billowing from the home, with all windows and doors closed, per the affidavit. Richland Township Fire responded and forced entry into the home, finding it unoccupied, police said.
Two cats were found in the home, at which point, Quakertown Veterinary was contacted to take custody of the cats to evaluate them for smoke inhalation, police said.
Due to the suspicious nature of the fire, the Bucks County Fire Marshal’s Office was called to the scene, as was a lieutenant, who is also an assistant fire marshal and K9 hander for Philadelphia Fire Department, per the complaint.
Investigators found seven distinct points of origin in the home: At the northwest corner of the first floor den; on a small carpet in front of the first floor kitchen sink; in the middle of the carpet in the upstairs master bedroom, two feet in front of the bed; in the middle of the carpet of the second upstairs bedroom; on a towel near the tub in the upstairs bathroom; in the second floor hallway in front of a washer and dryer; and in a third upstairs bedroom, which was used as storage, per the affidavit.
Authorities also found an open metal container on the kitchen countertop: Gamblin Gamsol, an odorless mineral spirit used for thinning oil paint, which is also combustible, according to investigators.
Police said samples of the points of origin and a sample of the mineral spirits were sent for analysis.
During the investigation, police discovered Jones drove herself to Grand View Hospital, according to charging documents.
At the hospital, police asked Jones what happened at her house, and she said, “I got a little agitated and I am sick and tired of things and I can’t handle it anymore. And it just came out in a bad way,” police allege in the complaint.
When asked to elaborate, Jones said “What did you find in the house?” per the affidavit. When police indicated a fire was set, Jones allegedly replied, “Yep. It was from anger and being bullied and I am sick and tired of it.”
Police petitioned for, and were granted, an involuntary mental health evaluation for Jones, according to the report.
The next-door home sustained an estimated $50,000 in damage, police said. Most of the damage was to the wall adjoining the third floor “storage” room, where the largest fire was set, police said.
Police said Jones was aware that the family would be sleeping when the fire was set. When one of Jones’ neighbors texted her at 5:56 a.m. that smoke was coming from her home and the fire department had been called, police said she texted back “Ok thanks.”
According to the complaint, the fire was classified as incendiary. The National Fire Protection Association defines an incendiary fire as one intentionally ignited in an area.
Jones is free on $50,000 unsecured bail.
