Bradley woman pleads no contest in North County arson case
March 15, 2017
Devorah Collins
A Bradley woman who reportedly admitted to starting several fires in North County last year pleaded no contest to two charges on Monday. [Tribune]
Debra Kay Collins is facing up to six years in prison after pleading no contest to one count each of wildland arson and possession of an incendiary device. In exchange for her plea, prosecutors dropped five counts of arson and another count of possession of an incendiary device.
Last summer, firefighters battled a series of suspicious fires in the Lake Nacimiento area. After investigators pinpointed Collins as a suspect, the Bradley woman allegedly admitted to starting several fires near Lake Nacimiento Drive that each burned about an acre of land between Aug. 7 and Sept. 1.
The Chimney Fire, which burned more than 46,000 acres south of Lake Nacimiento, occurred simultaneously, but investigators determined Collins was not involved in starting the large wildfire. Cal Fire’s incident report still lists the cause of the Chimney Fire as under investigation.
Collins is due to appear in San Luis Obispo Superior Court for sentencing on April 24.
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