Kathrin L. Turner, seated, waits for a corrections officer to escort her to the Lewis County Jail this afternoon.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – A Centralia woman who authorities believe cut her own throat and wrists after setting small fires at an apartment complex last fall was taken into custody after responding to a summons to appear in Lewis County Superior Court today.
Kathrin L. Turner, 44, is charged with first-degree arson, for an incident in early November at the apartments where she lived and was manager.
Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer told the judge he felt some bail was appropriate even though Turner showed up for court this afternoon.
Temporary defense attorney Rachael Tiller requested a $5,000 unsecured bond, noting her client did come to court as she was ordered, has no felonies in her past and has very close ties to the community.
“She’s resided here almost her entire life, has family here today and also has serious medical needs,” Tiller said.
Judge Joely O’Rourke said after reading the allegations, she believed Turner is a serious threat to community safety. She ordered Turner to be taken into custody and set her bail at $10,000.
Turner, with some kind of medical tubing visible outside her clothing, was asked to take a seat near the rear exit of the courtroom to wait for an escort down to the Lewis County Jail.
Centralia police investigated after two small fires were set on two consecutive mornings at the the 1100 block of Scammon Creek Road. Turner was manager there and told responders she used a fire extinguisher to put out the flames that damaged an approximately 15 square foot area of exterior siding on Nov. 3.
Three days later, Turner was found in the bathroom of a common area of the complex with life-threatening lacerations and taken to Tacoma General Hospital where she spent 45 days, according to authorities.
According to charging papers and police reports, Turner at first said she was attacked by a stranger, but then confessed to setting the building on fire. The reason she gave a detective was she was trying to get a tenant to move out and thought she could scare her away.
Her husband Kenneth Turner was among a small group of supporters with Kathrin Turner in court this afternoon.
“I don’t get any of it,” he said as he left the courthouse without his wife.
Defense attorney David Arcuri was appointed to represent Turner. Her arraignment was scheduled for Thursday.
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For background, read “Perplexing Centralia apartment arson case stalled” from Wednesday December 21, 2016, here
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter