Woman gets ARD in arson case in Chicora
An East Brady woman was placed into the county Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program on Monday after being charged with arson.
Nichole Slagle, 32, was placed into the program on a felony charge of arson, with two years of probation, and ordered to pay more than $12,000 in restitution and costs by Judge William Shaffer.
The order stated that supervision would be terminated when restitution was paid in full.
ARD allows for all charges filed by the prosecution to be suspended during the time a defendant is in the program and dismissal of the charges upon successful completion of the ARD program, which includes any therapy or counseling ordered by the court and payment of all fines, restitution and costs, according to the county's website.
A defendant can also have their record expunged upon successfully completing ARD.
Slagle was initially charged with three felony counts of arson, criminal attempt to commit burglary, criminal attempt to commit trespass, reckless burning, criminal mischief, misdemeanor loitering and prowling at night and summary dangerous burning after an incident on Water Street, Chicora, on Sept. 21, 2016.
State police said Slagle set fire to her ex-boyfriend's home. A passing motorist called in the fire, and when firefighters arrived flames were coming from a bedroom window fitted with an air conditioner.
A combined effort by about 30 firefighters from five departments extinguished the fire. Emergency responders remained on the scene for about two hours.
Initially the fire was thought to be an accident. But an investigation by state police fire marshals led to the arson charge against Slagle.
Police believe Slagle removed the air conditioner to get into the home, and apparently left through the same window.
The house, owned by Harley Flick of Chicora, was not insured according to authorities, and the occupants did not have renter's insurance. No one was home and there were no injuries. The estimated damage to the home was $6,000, with damage to the property inside estimated at more than $6,000.
