Santa Rosa Police: Extortion Suspect Arrested After Setting Fire, Kicking Officer
SANTA ROSA (CBS SF) -- A woman was arrested Sunday morning in Santa Rosa on suspicion of arson, extortion, grand theft and battery of a police officer.
At about 11:15 a.m. Sunday, Santa Rosa fire crews responded to a suspicious fire on a vacant hill on the south side of 3700 Old Redwood Highway.
The blaze was quickly spreading and approaching the Fountaingrove neighborhoods, but crews contained and extinguished it after it burned approximately one acre.
According to Santa Rosa police, witnesses who reported the fire also reported a possible suspect responsible for setting the fire.
As firefighters fought the fire, police officers searched the area for the possible suspect, and found a woman matching witnesses' description.
According to officers, the woman admitted to setting the fire.
The woman kicked one of the officers in the shin when officers attempted detaining her in handcuffs. The officer was not injured as a result of the kick.
During the fire investigation, an officer determined the woman to be the outstanding suspect in a grand theft and extortion investigation.
Early Sunday morning, a passport and cellphone were stolen from a car park in the 2600 block of Mendocino Avenue. The victims called the stolen phone and spoke with the suspect, who allegedly demanded a large sum of money in exchange for the stolen property. The victims negotiated with the suspect until a lower sum was agreed upon.
The woman, identified at Kathryn Nichols, a 42-year-old Santa Rosa transient from Kansas, was booked into Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of attempted extortion, grand theft, arson, and battery on a peace officer. A bail enhancement of $100,000 was issued by a judge.
Nichols had previously been arrested last Saturday and was released from custody several hours before committing the crimes, according to police.
© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. and Bay City News Service. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
