A 67-year-old Victorville woman is facing arson and animal cruelty charges after sheriff's deputies say she intentionally set a fire inside her apartment that left several puppies with burns. Phyllis Carraway was arrested Thursday on suspicion of arson of property and intentional animal cruelty, and she remains held on $30,000 bail.
Welfare Check Leads to Arrest
According to Victor Valley News Group, San Bernardino County sheriff's deputies were conducting a welfare check in the 14400 block of El Evado Road near Begonia Road on Thursday when they discovered the aftermath of the fire. The blaze damaged a stove, a kennel holding several puppies, and other property inside the apartment, per the outlet's reporting.
Several puppies suffered minor burns to their lower bodies in the fire, the report notes. Deputies determined that Carraway was suspected of intentionally starting the fire, leading to her arrest on suspicion of violating Penal Code sections 451(d) and 597(a), the station's report states.
What the Arson Statute Covers
California's arson law, codified in Penal Code section 451, defines the crime broadly: a person is guilty of arson when they willfully and maliciously set fire to, burn, cause to be burned, or aid in the burning of any structure, forest land, or property. The specific subsection Carraway is suspected of violating pertains to property damage from fire, per the same account.
Carraway was transported and booked into the High Desert Detention Center following her arrest. Public booking records listed bail at $30,000.
Court Date Set for Monday
Carraway has a court appearance scheduled for Monday at 8 a.m. in Department NF of the Victorville Superior Court, according to the report.
The incident echoes another Victorville house fire involving puppies, though it is not established to be the same event. In that separate case, reported by NBC Los Angeles, firefighters responding to a blaze in the 16000 block of Allen Street rescued four of five puppies trapped inside a burning home, with one puppy not surviving. That fire, reported at approximately 1 a.m., was brought under control within 15 minutes, NBC Los Angeles reported.
