Biglerville woman accused of crashing into building and starting fire

Lina Portman2 weeks ago

4 2 minutes read

A Biglerville woman faces several charges after police allege she repeatedly crashed into an Adams County apartment building and tried to set it on fire, court documents reveal .

Michelle Lopez, 44, of Biglerville, was charged with one count of causing a disaster, misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence, criminal mischief, resisting arrest and a summary charge of driving of a vehicle after suspension of registration.

The charges stem from an incident on Friday, June 21, 2024, in which Pennsylvania State Police were called to an apartment complex in the 100 block of North Main Street in Biglerville for a report that A woman was driving her vehicle into the building and trying to park it. in fire.

When police arrived, according to a probable cause affidavit filed by police, they made contact with a female occupant who said Lopez had “consumed several beers” then got into her vehicle, drove away from the apartment, turned around, then drove her away. vehicle in the building.

After hitting the building, the witness said, Lopez reversed his car and then hit the building a second time, the affidavit said.

After hitting the building a second time, Lopez hid the vehicle behind the building, the witness told police.

After hiding the car, a second witness told police he saw Lopez return to the front of the building, where she began lighting envelopes with a lighter in the building's doorway, the affidavit states .

In that door, police later found seven envelopes with “new burn marks,” according to the affidavit.

Lopez then fled the scene on foot, witnesses told police.

When state police arrived, they began canvassing the area looking for Lopez, the affidavit states. After several minutes of searching, a passerby spotted Lopez running toward the building.

The officers approached Lopez, who was standing in the doorway of his apartment, and asked him to speak to them. When asked to speak to officers, Lopez fled into the apartment, where officers had to use “considerable force” to overcome her resistance and arrest her.

During the arrest, police detected a “strong odor of alcohol” coming from Lopez, the affidavit states.

Lopez refused to consent to a blood test, leading police to obtain a search warrant to conduct blood tests.

Lopez was arraigned on these charges and released on non-monetary bail.

A preliminary hearing for Lopez is scheduled for July 10, 2024.

Lina Portman

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