A rural western Jackson County woman, Brenda Flat, 40, of Norman was booked into Jackson County Jail at 5:49 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20, on charges of arson and criminal mischief.
On Jan. 2 a fire was reported around 8 a.m. at a residence at 3296 N Main Street in the community of Clearspring in Owen Township, according to Jackson County Sheriff Rick Meyer.
Owen-Salt Creek Township Fire, Pershing Township Fire, Brownstown Fire Departments along with the Sheriff’s Department and Jackson County EMS all responded.
The residence, owned by landlord Scott W. Reynolds and rented by Paul & Tonya Tobias, was considered a total loss, according to Deputy Aaron Wilkins.
Flatt, a resident of the house, was interviewed the next day by Deputy Mark Holt and admitted to starting the fire in an upstairs bathroom, according to the probable cause affidavit.
Holt noted in his report, “I could tell she was challenged and may struggle with making decisions without proper supervision.”
The deputy reported that Flatt also told him that she had set two other house fires, also in the bathrooms, in Martin County in September 2024.
In his incident report investigator Michael Hansford with the Indiana Department of Homeland Security office of the State Fire Marshal ruled out accidental causes of the fire such as electrical or wood stove and concluded that the fire was started by a human act.