A transient woman suspected of starting a fire that nearly destroyed one of the oldest historical sites in Hanford has been arraigned, and her arson charges will be included in
Woman charged in Taoist Temple fire in court on burglary charges; arson arraignment set for Sept 16 hanfordsentinel.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from hanfordsentinel.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
While the motive behind the fire that heavily damaged the Taoist Temple Museum is still being investigated, authorities said Wednesday that anti-Asian sentiment does not seem to be a factor.
Suspect Maxine Montenegroâs reasons were probably not motivated by race, said Lt. James Lutz, public information officer for the Hanford Police Department. Lutz added that Montenegro, a transient, appears to have issues regarding substance abuse and mental health.
âWe have a lot of transients in that area in the evening,â Lutz said. âItâs kind of a throughway for the homeless.â
Montenegro was arrested on Tuesday in connection with the China Alley fire that took place on the night of May 12. The fire almost completely consumed the stairway leading to the altar room and destroyed many of the artifacts inside â artifacts that the museumâs director, Arianne Wing, said are priceless. Damage is estimated at around $500,000.