Woman suspected of setting three fires

Police arrested a 35-year-old woman after she allegedly set three fires in a two-hour period early Wednesday.

The woman, who identified herself as Vera K. Schindler but didn’t give an address, was booked into the Clark County Jail on suspicion of two counts of first-degree arson and possession of a controlled substance, said Kim Kapp, Vancouver Police Department spokeswoman.

Schindler was found near the intersection of Fort Vancouver Way and McLoughlin Boulevard around 3 a.m. while police were investigating reports of someone burning a political sign in the median. She lit the sign to “keep her hands warm,” Kapp said.

Schindler was also identified as a woman shown in surveillance footage recorded around 1:15 a.m. throwing a lit match into a trash can in front of Plaid Pantry at 514 Washington St.

The woman also told police she lit a few newspapers on fire behind El Presidente Mexican Restaurant at 312 E. Evergreen Blvd. sometime between the two other events, Kapp said.

Kapp said there is no indication that the political sign fire had any political motivation.

“She just appeared to be wandering through town catching things on fire,” Kapp said.

— Paul Suarez