A woman was arrested Thursday night in Eugene after allegedly trying to set fire to a tent with a mother and daughter inside, according to Eugene Police.
At approximately 11:20 p.m. on September 17, the mother and daughter called 911 from their tent on West Sixth Avenue. They reported that someone had tried to set the tent on fire.
The daughter told police she heard what sounded like a lighter clicking. Moments later, she saw smoke coming from a corner of the tent.
The tent was not engulfed in flames, but officers found several holes in the corner where the material appeared to have melted.
Officers obtained surveillance footage from a nearby business. The video showed a person approach the tent, crouch beside one of its corners and then quickly walk away. The person was wearing a camouflage hoodie with the hood raised and white writing on the back.
Police soon located Tabitha Muller nearby. According to Eugene Police, Muller was wearing the same clothing seen in the video and carrying a large grill lighter.
Muller was arrested and lodged at the Lane County Jail on a charge of attempted arson in the first degree.
The insanity of trying to ignite a tent with two people inside is difficult to comprehend. A tent offers almost no protection from fire, and this could have become a deadly tragedy within seconds.
Thankfully, the mother and daughter noticed the smoke before the tent became engulfed.
Eugene Police case number 26-14953.
