Cops charge woman with battery and blaze
Ralph Bartholdt Staff Writer | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 6 years AGO
A woman police say set a house on fire before jumping out of a second-story window is in jail facing charges of arson and domestic battery.
A magistrate judge in Coeur d’Alene ordered $100,000 bail Thursday for Valerie A. Chiari, 57, who is accused of attempting to burn a split level home on the 1100 block of East Margaret Avenue in Coeur d’Alene.
According to police reports, Chiari and her boyfriend, Larry D. Gilbert, played cards when an argument erupted and Chiari broke a drinking glass and threatened Gilbert with a large chunk of glass.
Gilbert attempted to flee, according to a police report, but Chiari pulled at his clothing, tearing off his shirt and pulled off his pants.
“Larry was only in his underwear when he fled the residence,” according to a report.
When officers arrived, Chiari was in an upstairs window holding a knife, refusing to cooperate with authorities, police said. Smoke poured from the broken out window.
While a SWAT unit was dispatched, Chiari had apparently started a fire in a bedroom closet, which was doused by a Coeur d’Alene Fire crew. She broke glass from the window with the knife, sat on the edge and jumped to the ground, police said.
Police said Chiari’s hands bled and her hair was singed.
After her arrest, investigators found Chiari’s bedroom in disarray with broken glass strewn on the floor and “it appeared there was a sizable fire in the room,” according to a police report.
Fire investigators told police the fire was intentionally set.
Gilbert suffered from a cut on his arms, bruises and contusions.
Domestic battery carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. The maximum penalty for first degree arson is 25 years and a $100,000 fine.
Chiari was taken to Kootenai Health, where she accused Gilbert of choking her, but police said they saw no bruising on her neck. When asked to discuss the incident further, Chiari asked for her attorney.
If she remains in custody, Chiari’s probable cause hearing will be within 14 days in First District magistrate court. The hearing will be within 21 days if she posts bail.
ARTICLES BY RALPH BARTHOLDT STAFF WRITER
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