Antioch woman arrested after fire at cousin’s Gualala home

An Antioch woman is in jail for igniting a fire inside her cousin’s Gualala home following an argument, according to the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office.

Ashaki Satomi Scott, 20, was booked Friday on suspicion of arson of an inhabited structure, according to the sheriff’s office.

The incident followed an argument between Scott and her cousin over Scott’s alleged attempt to make unauthorized charges on a credit card, the sheriff’s office said.

The cousin later asked Scott to burn some cardboard boxes in the wood stove before going to bed that night, Sheriff’s officials said. The woman was awakened at about 1 a.m. by smoke and discovered a large column of fire. She found the cardboard boxes had been stacked on top of each other and were burning, creating flames about 6 feet in height, sheriff’s officials said.

The cousin and a friend were able to extinguish the flames but Scott returned a short time later kicking in the door to make entry. She began flailing wildly and screaming until the other occupants forced her to leave and phone for help, officials said.

Scott was gone upon deputies’ arrival, but she was located several hours later.