A 53-year-old West Plains woman was arrested Tuesday evening for a Monday night arson fire in the 5300 block of West Sunset Highway. The blaze was set in close proximity to heavy timber, businesses and residences.
Carol J. Haloburdo was booked into the Spokane County Jail on a single count of Second-Degree Arson.
On Monday, Off-duty Fire District 10 firefighter Cameron Bergin saw Haloburdo walking into wooded area from Sunset Boulevard. He recognized her based on previous contacts with her in his role as a firefighter.
About 16 minutes later, units from his fire district were dispatched to a wild land fire at the same location. Among bystanders watching crews extinguish the blaze was Haloburdo.
Hearing the fire dispatched, sheriff’s sergeant Jim Gladden responded and was the first to arrive at the fire. He saw grass and timber burning, and after consulting with Bergin, interviewed Haloburdo about the fire.
After lengthy discussion, Gladden determined that the woman had started the fire with a single paper match. He decided Haloburdo needed psychological evaluation and was walking her to a patrol car when a book of paper matches missing a single match fell from her blouse.
During his investigation Monday night, Spokane County Fire Investigator Ed Bolyard eliminated all natural and accidental causes for the fire and concluded it was an arson fire. He shared that information with Gladden.
Tuesday evening, Gladden learned that Haloburdo had been released from the hospital and dispatched Deputy Tyler Smith to arrest the suspect on the arson count.
Haloburdo was arrested for a similar arson fire last summer and was later convicted of Reckless Burning. That fire occurred in an area where at least nine other suspicious fires were set last summer.
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