22-Year-Old Arrested For Setting Rome Area Wildfires Because She Was Mad at Her Dad

A 22-year-old woman faces felony charges after allegedly starting a wildfire that tore through nearly 200 acres in Floyd County last month.

🔥 Why It Matters: The March 23 fire threatened homes and property in the Armuchee area.

👮 What’s Happening: Floyd County Police arrested the woman Tuesday morning on two counts of first-degree arson, according to law enforcement officials.

• Police say she admitted to using pine straw and a lighter to start the fire because she was angry with her father
• Officers reported finding her covered in soot when they arrived at the scene

🧠 Mental Health Factors: Family members told police the woman has untreated mental health issues and hasn’t been taking prescribed medication. Her mother reported unsuccessful attempts to place her in a healthcare facility, according to the police report.

🚒 The Big Picture: The arrest comes during a challenging period for Rome-Floyd firefighters, who battled multiple suspicious wildfires last week near Cartersville Highway, Chulio and Mathis roads, and Armuchee High School. The causes of these additional fires remain under investigation.

Floyd County Emergency Management officials urge residents who witness suspicious activity to contact 911 immediately or report arson to the state hotline at 1-800-GATREES.

⚠️ Reminder: Crime articles contain only charges and information from police reports and law enforcement statements. Suspects and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.