Court sentences fire starter to six-year probation
A local woman who set a series of fires last October in Texarkana, Ark., was sentenced Tuesday to a six-year term of felony probation in Miller County.
Stormmi Dawn Cole, 35, was reportedly wearing a motorcycle helmet and carrying a mop when she was arrested Oct. 22, 2017, as she walked in the 3800 block of Olive Street in Texarkana, Texas. Police and fire officials in both Texarkanas responded to calls that night.
Cole was charged with misdemeanor criminal mischief in Texarkana, Texas, for setting fire to a dumpster at O’Reilly Auto Parts on State Line Avenue in Texarkana, Texas. She pleaded guilty and was sentenced Nov. 10, 2017, to 18 days in the county jail, with credit for 18 days time served, court records show. Cole was then transferred to the custody of Miller County officials to address the felony charges of arson and reckless burning levied against her for fires set in Texarkana, Ark.
Shortly before 10 p.m. Oct. 22, 2017, Texarkana, Ark., Fire Department personnel responded to a Dumpster fire at the Renaissance Apartments on County Avenue. in Texarkana, Ark. A small trash fire set on State Line Avenue later in the evening was extinguished by Texarkana, Ark., police after firefighters were diverted to a report of an apartment fire in the 2400 block of County Ave.
The fire at the apartment was set in a bathtub in a vacant unit and caused smoke damage throughout the building, according to earlier reports. Records are unclear as to whether the Dumpster fire and apartment bathtub fire were set at the same, or neighboring, small apartment complexes.
Cole pleaded guilty to reckless burning and arson at a hearing Tuesday before Circuit Judge Kirk Johnson. A report detailing the findings of mental health experts asked to evaluate Cole’s competency states that Cole claimed to have been angry at being homeless when she committed the crimes. The report did find Cole was competent to proceed in the case and competent at the time of the offenses.
While being supervised by probation officials, Cole must participate in any counseling or rehabilitation program the probation department recommends, Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Chuck Black said.