COLUMBUS — A local woman is in custody facing felony arson charges after authorities say she intentionally set fire to a pickup truck and two residential properties—causing an estimated $145,000 in combined structural damage—across Bartholomew County on Thursday night.
Ashley Perez, 35, of Columbus, was arrested on two preliminary counts of arson, both Level 4 felonies, following a joint investigation by multiple city, county, and state agencies.
Emergency crews first responded at approximately 9:30 p.m. on Thursday to a reported structure fire in the 1300 block of 10th Street. Arriving Columbus Police Department (CPD) officers discovered a pickup truck ablaze on the property and active flames extending from a window of the residence. CPD officers used portable fire extinguishers to douse much of the vehicle fire before the Columbus Fire Department (CFD) arrived to fully suppress both blazes.
First responders noted a strong odor of gasoline at the scene and determined the fires were incendiary in nature. No occupants were inside the home at the time.
While CPD detectives and CFD fire inspectors were collecting evidence on 10th Street, a second structure fire was reported around 11:45 p.m. in the 5400 block of South Jonesville Road. Firefighting crews rushed to the scene to extinguish the secondary blaze.
A collaborative investigative team—comprising members from the CPD, CFD, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office, Bartholomew County Fire Inspector, and the Indiana Department of Homeland Security State Fire Marshal’s Office—linked the two fires after discovering a shared property history. Investigators determined Perez currently owned the 10th Street home and was a former owner of the South Jonesville Road residence.
Officials estimated damages at $20,000 at the 10th Street property; $125,000 at the South Jonesville Road residence.
At approximately 5:30 a.m. Friday, while law enforcement actively searched for her, Perez placed a call to the local dispatch center. Officers subsequently located her at a downtown restaurant and took her into custody without incident.
Assisting Agencies: Columbus Fire Department, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office, Indiana State Fire Marshal’s Office, Columbus Regional Hospital Ambulance, and volunteer fire departments from Wayne Township, Columbus Township, Southwest, Elizabethtown, Harrison Township, Clifford, and German Township.
Those facing criminal charges are considered innocent until proven guilty through a fair and due legal process. Accusations alone do not imply guilt; the judicial system will evaluate the presented evidence to reach a verdict.
