A woman from Washington state has been arrested for setting fire to her motel room after being evicted in East Ridge.
On Wednesday at 11:50 a.m., East Ridge Fire/Rescue and Police responded to room 206 at the Superior Creek Lodge at 1410 Mack Smith Road in reference to a fire alarm. Firefighters arrived in four minutes to find heavy smoke coming from the microwave in the room.
The property manager told East Ridge Fire/Arson investigators that the occupants of the room had been evicted earlier in the morning and had left only 20 minutes prior to the alarm. Investigators found that the smoke detection system in the room had been tampered with and an unknown accelerant had been put into the microwave causing the fire.
East Ridge Police officers found the suspect’s vehicle later that evening at the Motel 6 at 2281 Camp Jordan Parkway.
East Ridge Fire/Arson investigators identified the suspect as Lindsay Leonard, 29, of Auburn, Wash. Ms. Leonard was transported to the Hamilton County Jail where she was charged with aggravated arson and reckless endangerment. She is scheduled to appear in East Ridge Municipal Court on Tuesday at 5 p.m.