SPOKANE, Wash. — A woman accused of intentionally setting a made her first court appearance Friday.
According to court documents, Spokane police and fire crews responded to a fire at 554 East North Avenue, where they found several backyard structures, including a wooden shed and fencing, engulfed in flames. A large pine tree in the alley behind the home was also on fire, with embers falling into nearby yards and onto rooftops. Police said the fire threatened overhead utility lines.
Surveillance video from a nearby resident showed a silver or gray Audi A4 with mismatched wheels stopping briefly near the scene just before the fire began. , was seen opening the door before driving away, according to the documents. Moments later, flames appeared near the base of the tree.
Police said that they used license plate data to trace the car to Green. The next day, police said that they located the car at a home in Spokane. After initiating a traffic stop, officers said that they questioned Green, who reportedly said she had been in the area because she needed to pee. She told police she used a torch to burn loose threads from her pant leg, accidentally igniting a plastic label that she then threw from the car, court docs said.
Green told officers she did not intend to start the fire and believed it was an accident, according to court docs.
No injuries were reported, but the fire caused significant property damage.
