UTAH COUNTY, April 7, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — An 18-year-old woman was booked into Utah County Jail on Saturday on a felony arson charge.
Felecya Lee Paige was charged on suspicion of:
- Arson, property damage of another exceeds $5,000 in value, a second-degree felony
- Contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a class B misdemeanor
A probable cause statement filed by an officer of the Utah County Sheriff’s Office says that on Saturday, April 3, dispatch received a call reporting an abandoned house on fire in Lakeshore, on 4800 West, east of Lincoln Beach in Utah County.
“Upon arriving to the address I observed an old abandoned house fully engulfed in fire,” the statement says.
A news release from the UCSO says firefighters from Spanish Fork and Salem fire departments responded to the scene and knocked down the blaze. The home was a total loss.
Paige’s probable cause statement says a witness reported “seeing two young girls walking away from the house and stated they looked scared. Witness stated the girls got on bicycles and rode to the East. Fire Marshal Randy Crowther was able to make contact with others that lived in the area that knew the two girls and provided me with the address.”
The officer went to Paige’s residence, and was told she had been riding bicycles with a friend and would be home soon.
A relative of the younger suspect told the officer the girl had admitted being at the abandoned house. The girl’s parents spoke with the officer about the girl’s account and gave the officer permission to talk with the child. He explained Miranda Rights to the juvenile, Paige’s probable cause statement says.
The child said she and Paige rode to the house, and Paige used a lighter she had to set the wallpaper on fire.
“They both added things to the fire, but it got out of hand,” the statement says.
Paige was also advised of her rights prior to an interview attempt, the court document says.
“Felecya was also advised of her rights, to which she stated she didn’t want to talk with me. Her father … tried to talk with her about the situation. Felecya was very agitated and confrontational with her family,” the probable cause statement says.
“She then stated, she didn’t care what happens. (Her father) continued to try and talk with Felecya. She continued in her confrontational demeanor and told her dad, ‘I could care less, I started the fire. It was an old piece of junk. I don’t care what happens.'”
Paige was arrested on suspicion of arson and was handcuffed and taken to jail, the statement says.
It may have been an “old piece of junk,” but it wasn’t HER property, and she had no business even being there, must less burning it down. She should spend some quality time in the slammer reflecting on that principle. She says that she “doesn’t care what happens,” but she is about to find out that she should care, because her new criminal record, whatever it may turn out to be exactly, will stick with her for a very long time. E.g., I would never hire an arsonist with a major Attitude. Would you?