Woman charged with arson

COEUR d’ALENE — A woman is in jail after police said she set a fire in her kitchen.

Brandy S. Rowland, 35, of Coeur d’Alene, is charged with first degree arson, a felony.

Police responded Friday to a report that a woman had set a table on fire at a Coeur d’Alene residence.

A man who identified himself as Rowland’s boyfriend told police he had managed to put the fire out before law enforcement arrived.

Police entered the home and detained Rowland in handcuffs.

Rowland reportedly set fire to a box of paper towels under the kitchen table. The table was partially burned, according to court documents, indicating that the fire was beginning to spread before it was put out.

Rowland allegedly told police that her boyfriend had invited several people over the night before.

She said the group assaulted her, according to court documents, and she set the fire in order to drive them out of the residence.

She reportedly said the individuals fled through her bedroom window. Police said they found no evidence of this, such as footprints in the dirt outside the window.

Police transported Rowland to Kootenai Health and sought an emergency warrant for her arrest. She was taken into custody the same day.

Judge Mayli Walsh ordered Monday that Rowland be held on $50,000 bail.