Irvine Woman Behind Bars On Suspicion Of Setting Fires
IRVINE (CBS) — A police lieutenant Sunday said a 39-year-old Irvine woman was behind bars on suspicion of starting a series of fires.
Jana Marie Spires is believed to be responsible for a series of fires on residential and most recently, on school property, Irvine police Lt. Julia Engen said.
Engen said DNA collected by Irvine crime scene investigators at three different fires led to Spires' arrest. Analysts at the Orange County Crime Laboratory worked with Irvine detectives to identify the culprit as a female.
The fires started in July 2010 and have included trash, trash cans and vehicles.
Irvine detectives arrested Spires about 8:15 a.m. Saturday in Irvine's Woodbridge neighborhood, near the Springbrook Elementary School, after a stack of pizza boxes were set ablaze next to the administration building, Engen said. Detectives put out the fire before it caused any damage.
Spires is being held in Orange County jail in lieu of $50,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned Monday morning.
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