The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office has issued a felony summons to a 31-year-old Louisville resident, Zasquin Benally-Bartell, in connection with an arson case from earlier in June. The suspected fire, which occurred between Flagstaff Drive and Boulder Canyon Drive on June 14, prompted an investigation that led to Benally-Bartell facing two counts of 4th Degree Arson (F4), as reported by the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office.
Based on evidence at the scene, and eyewitness reports, authorities were able to trace the incident back to Benally-Bartell. The fire reported on the evening of June 14, managed to spread across approximately 1/4 acre before it was contained. Credit to the quick response by multiple fire agencies, there were no injuries or damage to structures. Benally-Bartell is scheduled to appear at the Boulder County Jail on July 11 to respond to the charges laid against her.
An array of agencies came together to bring this case to its current juncture, including the Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks, the Boulder County Digital Forensics Lab, Boulder Fire-Rescue, and the Louisville Police Department among others. Fire investigators identified two points of origin which, coupled with digital forensics and collaborative law enforcement efforts, led to the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office zeroing in on the suspect.
