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City woman charged with alleged arson

Upset that her husband left her, Margaret Sabatino set two fires in her home at 1025 1/2 Washington Blvd. on March 3, city police alleged in court papers.

Officers responded to the home to check on Sabatino’s welfare about 3:45 p.m. after receiving a report that she had posted suicidal threats on social media.

When officers arrived on the scene and entered the house, the first floor was filled with smoke. “Curtains in the kitchen, just past the living room, were smoking and both a wall and a window were charred and black,” Patrolman Andrew Stevens wrote in an affidavit.

“Clearly intoxicated, Sabatino staggered downstairs,” Stevens said.

Upon going to the second floor, officers found a second set of curtains burning, Stevens said, adding that another wall and a second window were charred black.

Sabatino, 49, wrote online “house fire won’t be long now,” and “never to be heard from again,” Stevens said in the affidavit.

City firefighters responded and made sure the fires were extinguished.

Arraigned Tuesday afternoon before District Judge Aaron Biichle on felony charges of attempted arson endangering a person, attempted arson endangering property, reckless burning or explosions as well as two misdemeanors: possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia that were found in the home, Sabatino was committed to the Lycoming County Prison in lieu of $85,000 bail.

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