Mother that allegedly lit dumpster fires with minor son and burned fence set to go to trial
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BLACKFOOT — A 39-year-old woman who was charged with felony third-degree arson from a September incident is set to go to trial in June.
Kara Richardson was arraigned in Bingham County District Court on Monday and pleaded not guilty in front of Judge Darren Simpson. Her trial is scheduled for June 28 at 9 a.m. in Bingham County.
During interviews with a detective, Richardson admitted to multiple instances of fire-starting. According to a report filed by the Bingham County Sheriff’s detective, Richardson lit a fence on fire at a local business in Blackfoot and admitted to starting a dumpster fire. She also told law enforcement that she accompanied her minor son when he started dumpster fires over a period of several years.
The detective was made aware of the fence fire at Bowers Collision located off of South Broadway in Blackfoot on Sept. 17. According to court documents, the fire happened around 4:20 a.m. The victim said the fire resulted in $680 in damages to the fence and $1,000 in damages to a car parked behind the fence.
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The detective met with Richardson and the report said, “she explained she had lit Bowers Collision fence on fire because she was mad at him (the victim) for the way he parks vehicles on his lot.” She explained the cars in the lot obstruct the view of traffic at a nearby intersection.
Additionally, Richardson told the detective she had previously started a fire in a dumpster because it was overflowing with trash. According to documents, Richardson added her son was responsible for lighting fires in area dumpsters on other occasions.
The detective asked her son who was with him when he lit the fires and he told the detective it was his mother.
As the son is a minor, it’s not clear if he suffered any legal consequences from the fires.
According to Idaho State Law, felony arson in the third degree is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and/or a $50,000 fine.