Woman arraigned on arson charge in Mount Clemens

A woman was arraigned Thursday on felony arson after allegedly setting fire to her former apartment building in Mount Clemens, according to the Macomb County Sheriff's Office.

Madalyn Marie Soulliere, 43, faces life in prison if convicted on the first-degree arson charge, officials said. She was arraigned in 41B District Court, where she was given a $75,000 bond.

Soulliere's next hearing is scheduled for Jan. 4.

The suspect initially was mistaken for a man while allegedly committing the crime, which was reported around 2:20 p.m. Tuesday at 12 Washington St.

"Sheriff deputies interviewed a witness who described the fire-starter as a white male subject, approximately 50 years old with gray hair and wearing a black (or green) coat," officials said in a statement. "The witness told deputies that 'the man' poured gasoline and lit it on fire."

The suspect then fled in an unknown direction, officials said.

Deputies who responded to the scene found a small fire contained to a "nook" area between the front porch and a wall. They were able to put out the flames with a patrol car fire extinguisher, leaving behind charred, melted siding and soot on the ground.

Despite the witness' identification of a male suspect, investigators zeroed in on Soulliere, a former resident of the building, after speaking with the landlord, officials said. A deputy canvassed several area gas stations and recovered surveillance footage allegedly of Soulliere purchasing a gas can and gasoline used to start the fire.

"Detectives believe that the woman is the person that started the fire, and she was misidentified as a 'man' by the eyewitness," officials said.

Soulliere was arrested in her car in Washington Township after investigators found a gasoline can in the back seat. She was lodged at the Macomb County Jail.

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