A Reading woman accused of setting fire to an occupied home in Kempton last month was held for court following a preliminary hearing Monday.
Trisha K. Seltzer, 37, was returned to Berks County Jail in lieu of $50,000 following the hearing before District Judge Kim L. Bagenstose in Hamburg.
Court records indicate that after the hearing, Bagenstose reduced the bail amount to $50,000 from $100,000, the figure set at Seltzer’s arraignment on April 20.
Bagenstose bound all charges filed by state police to Berks County Court, including aggravated arson, reckless endangerment, risking a catastrophe, criminal mischief and resisting arrest.
Troopers from the Hamburg station arrested Seltzer on the same block as the fire after firefighters reported seeing the suspect walk from the home.
According to the probable cause affidavit:
A man called 911 on April 20 at 2:38 p.m. to report a fire in the residence in the 3300 block of Route 737 in the Albany Township village. Dispatchers heard the smoke detector alarm in the background.
The man told the investigator that he was in his second-floor bedroom when he smelled smoke, then heard the smoke alarm. As he headed down the stairs to investigate, he encountered Seltzer standing on the first floor.
He noticed fire in the basement stairwell. Smoke was coming from the steps, and the flames were spreading.The man used a cloth to smother the flames before calling 911 and leaving the home.
While firefighters were on the scene, they were informed that Selzer was trying to leave on foot. A deputy fire chief requested state police assistance, describing the woman leaving the scene.
Two troopers responded and found Seltzer a few houses south of the incident. She was uncooperative and was told she was under arrest. She struggled with troopers as they tried to take her into custody.
After being taken to the ground, she placed her arms under her body so she couldn’t be easily handcuffed. Troopers needed to use substantial force to overcome her resistance.
Trooper Corey Heimbach and Dayton Dell, fire investigators with the Troop L fire marshal’s unit, determined the fire originated along the stairwell wall where the stairwell opens up to the basement ceiling.
Fire damage was isolated to two pieces of wood paneling, with smoke damage extending to the first floor.
The fire was determined to be incendiary, meaning someone ignited it with malicious intent by introducing a flame or heat source.
A cigarette lighter was found in Seltzer’s sweatshirt pocket. During an interview at the Hamburg barracks, she admitted using the lighter to start the fire.
The affidavit provided no information on possible motive, nor did it describe the nature of the relationship between Seltzer and the home’s occupant.