In a troubling incident, a 43-year-old homeless woman, Mavis Williams, was apprehended on Sunday in connection with a garage fire that engulfed a row of 14 units at an apartment complex near El Cajon. The fire which took over an hour to control wreaked havoc on the garages and vehicles within. Williams, among other homeless individuals, was residing in the garage where the inferno originated.
Living on the Edge
Investigations revealed that Williams, along with fellow homeless persons, occupied the detached garages on the property. The blaze prompted a joint response from firefighters and deputies, who raced to the scene following multiple reports of the fire on Thursday night.
The inferno caught on scene footage displayed the extensive damage caused to the garages and vehicles. Detective Dan Wilson from the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department Bomb/Arson Unit disclosed that Williams had fled the scene before investigators returned to assess the aftermath.
Detectives pinpointed the garage where the fire originated leading to a subsequent search for Williams. The investigation intensified as authorities aimed to unravel the cause and origin of the destructive fire.
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Arrest and Admission
Acting on a tip received just before 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, deputies from the Lakeside Sheriff’s Substation tracked down Williams to an unincorporated area near El Cajon. She was apprehended without incident.
Following her arrest, Williams admitted to causing the fire as revealed by Detective Wilson. She now faces charges of recklessly causing a fire and has been booked into the Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by the homeless population, intertwining issues of shelter and public safety.