Police arrested Marisa Rochelle Dionne, 24, and charged her with first-degree arson and attempted murder after an incident early Sunday morning in Ontario. (Photo courtesy of the Malheur County Sheriff’s Office).
ONTARIO – Fast action by an Ontario police officer extinguished a small fire early Sunday morning but the blaze led to the arrest of an Ontario woman for arson and attempted murder.
Marisa Rochelle Dionne, 24, Ontario, was arrested by police at about 2 a.m. Sunday and lodged in the Malheur County Jail after an incident on Northwest 7th Street.
She has been lodged on charges of first-degree arson and attempted murder, Measure 11 offenses that have a minimum sentence of 90 months.
Police arrived at the scene after the resident, William Joseph Burns, 59, called to complain about a woman trying to enter his home.
When police showed up, they discovered Dionne outside the home and noticed a glow from the back of the house. A police officer walked to the back of the house and saw the back door on fire. He grabbed a shovel and tossed dirt onto the door and extinguished the blaze.
Moments later, police arrested Dionne.
“Evidence was gathered at the scene and evidence was located on her, so they were able to establish enough evidence to take her into custody,” said Jason Cooper, interim Ontario police chief.
Cooper said the fire on the door was beginning to move into the house when the police officer put it out.
“It looks like she had been there for a substantial amount of time and that finally led to the victim calling for help. Evidently, she had been knocking on both ends of the doors of the house,” said Cooper.
Dionne is not a stranger to local law enforcement. In recent weeks Dionne was charged twice for drug possession and lodged in the jail.
A state child welfare case is also pending against her, said Dave Goldthorpe, Malheur County district attorney.
Dionne was recently discharged from jail on the previous charges, said Goldthorpe.
“She was released on those charges based on an agreement between the DA’s office and the court due to overcrowding in the jail,” said Goldthorpe.
Police are still investigating the case.