DA reviewing charge against Santa Rosa woman who set self on fire

A Santa Rosa woman who set herself on fire, causing serious burns and destroying much of the southwest Santa Rosa four-unit complex where she lived, now faces a possible criminal prosecution.

Detectives with the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office are seeking a single felony charge, suspecting Melissa Terry, 44, of recklessly starting a fire. The felony charge carries a possible state prison sentence of a few years.

On March 27, Terry, who also goes by Melissa McMullin, doused herself in gasoline, lay down on her bed and flicked her lighter, sparking a blaze that caused $600,000 in damage to the Barbara Drive fourplex and belongings, according to fire officials.

She suffered third-degree burns to parts of her body and was most likely saved when one of her sons ran into her burning apartment and helped her outside, fire officials said.

Flames gutted two apartments, and the fire seriously damaged the two others. Terry and three families lost their rental homes. Several people were there at the time the fire started, but everyone else got out safely.

Afterward, Terry told fire investigators she was facing eviction and desperate, so she started the fire intending to kill herself but not burn down the building. Fire officials were told the woman was to be kicked out of the apartment for ongoing disputes with neighbors.

Monday, Terry was still hospitalized, but her condition wasn’t available.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Mike Raasch said detectives completed an investigation and have asked the District Attorney’s Office to file the one felony charge against Terry. A District Attorney’s spokesman Monday said the charge remained under review.

If prosecutors decide to move ahead with a case, she most likely would be arrested following her release from hospitalization.

Monday afternoon, a work crew cleared ruined household property from the four units.

“We’re clearing out all the debris. This is the third day,” said Mike Curran of Curran Environmental, who was leading the effort.

He said the residents had come over when the work first started to see if anything more still could be saved.

“They were here until a couple of days ago, looking at the stuff,” Curran said. “They realized nothing else is salvageable.”

Huge dumpsters and piles of damaged items were in front of the property, including a large blue stuffed rabbit sitting atop a full garbage can.

Barbara Drive is in the Moorland Avenue neighborhood.

You can reach Staff Writer Randi Rossmann at 521-5412 or randi.rossmann@pressdemocrat.com.?On Twitter@rossmannreport.