A federal judge has pushed back the trial of a Boise woman accused of stealing an ambulance and attempting to set fire to a Meridian building tied to the Department of Homeland Security, moving the proceedings to January 19, 2027, at 1:30 p.m. It is the third delay in the case against 43-year-old Sarah Elizabeth George, who has pleaded not guilty and remains in federal custody while the case grinds toward trial.
U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill granted the continuance after determining that additional preparation time was necessary for George to receive an effective defense, according to KBOI. The judge ruled that the interests of justice outweighed the interests in a speedy trial, a standard that under federal law requires a court to put its reasoning on the record, per the U.S. Code's speedy-trial provisions. A trial-readiness conference is now scheduled for January 7, 2027, and pretrial motions carry a December 10, 2026 deadline.
George's trial has now been delayed three times from its original April 2026 date, first bumped to July, then to November, and now to January. The station's report notes the defense has repeatedly cited growing discovery volume as the reason for seeking more preparation time, and this round is no different: George's defense evidence has totaled 90,587 pages, while federal prosecutors provided roughly 54,000 additional pages of documents according to the court order. The defense also received hours of previously disclosed audio and video recordings.
What George Is Accused Of
George is accused of stealing a Canyon County paramedics ambulance from St. Luke's Meridian and driving it through the entrance of the nearby Portico North building, which contained office space leased for the Department of Homeland Security, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The alleged theft occurred on February 18, 2026. A federal grand jury indicted George on two counts of attempted malicious damage by fire, one involving federal property and the other involving property used in interstate commerce.
Investigators allege George purchased gasoline containers and lighter fluid before the incident, then filled the containers with gasoline and placed them near the hospital. Surveillance footage allegedly shows her loading the containers into the stolen ambulance and driving it into the building, and she allegedly poured gasoline across the lobby floor before fleeing as police arrived. The evidence does not establish that a fire actually started, and the allegations have not been proven at trial.
Defense Cites Case Complexity
George's attorneys requested more time to review evidence and continue their own independent investigation, citing case complexity, the seriousness of the charges and the potential penalties she faces. Federal prosecutors did not oppose the continuance request, per the same account. If convicted, the Justice Department's press release on the case states that the second count carries a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, District of Idaho.
The court's latest order does not identify the contents of recently disclosed documents, nor does it indicate whether those materials change the underlying allegations against George. Earlier reporting had separately described approximately 36,375 pages of discovery plus hours of recordings, a figure distinct from the 90,587-page total cited in the latest filing, and a prior report noted a separate category of business records expected to be disclosed under a protective order without identifying the businesses involved. George's trial remains set for the federal courthouse in Boise, Idaho.
