A 71-year-old Quakertown woman who allegedly told police she was angry over being bullied is facing multiple felony charges including arson after she set fire to her twin home last month.
Richland police allege that on Diane Jones spread accelerant in seven areas of her two-story twin home on Redwood Drive, set the fire after locking her windows, doors and leaving her two cats inside, according to a probable cause affidavit.
More on the fire at Grand View HospitalFire reported at Grand View Hospital in Sellersville on Sunday night
Jones then drove to nearby Grand View Hospital for an unspecified reason, police said.
Richland police and firefighters responded to the home on July 24 shortly before 6 a.m. after Jones’ neighbor, who lives in the adjoining home, reported seeing smoke coming from the home, and heard the fire alarm blaring, the affidavit said.
The neighbor evacuated his family, including two children. He also told police an elderly woman lived in the home, but her car was not parked outside.
The neighbor’s wife told people she called Jones multiple times the morning of the fire to warn her about the smoke; shortly before calling police, the neighbor said she texted Jones to tell her the fire department was called.
Jones then replied, “Ok Thanks,” the affidavit said.
When firefighters forced open the door, they found it empty, except for the two cats who were rescued.
A subsequent fire investigation found seven points of origin for the fire on the first and second floors of the home. The largest part of the fire developed in an upstairs storage room in the home, the affidavit said.
On the kitchen counter, fire officials also found an open metal container labeled as mineral spirits, a combustible liquid used to thin oil paint. A K-9 that was brought in found the same accelerant in the can was used in all the points of origin, the affidavit said.
When police found Jones at Grand View and asked her about what happened at her house, she responded that she was “sick and tired of things.”
“I can’t handle it anymore and it just came out in a bad way,” she said, according to the affidavit.
When police questioned Jones further, she allegedly admitted to setting the fire.
“Yep. It was from anger and being bullied and I’m sick and tired of it,” she told police, the affidavit said.
The police officer then petitioned, and received, an involuntary mental health evaluation for Jones.
The neighbor told police their home sustained $40,000 to $50,000 in fire damage, the affidavit said.
Jones was arraigned Aug. 22 before District Judge Lisa Gaier on five felony charges including arson, reckless burning and possession of explosives and four misdemeanor charges of reckless endangerment, and one count of animal cruelty. She is free on unsecured bail.
Reporter Jo Ciavaglia can be reached at jciavaglia@gannett.com
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