Arson charges filed against girl in MCCTC fire

Arson charges filed against girl in MCCTC fire

YOUNGSTOWN — Aggravated arson charges have been filed against a girl accused of setting the multimillion-dollar fire last May that destroyed a wing of the Mahoning County Career and Technical Center in Canfield.

Two felony charges were filed today against Pamela Schindler, who was 17 when an original charge of criminal damaging and a charge of obstructing official business were filed against her in July after a three-month investigation by Canfield Police.

Schindler had been set to go on trial Monday in the county juvenile court on those original charges, but they were dropped so that the county juvenile prosecutor’s office could consider the more serious charges.

After further investigation this week, the prosecutor’s office determined that those more serious charges were warranted, said Kerry Limbian, an assistant prosecutor who is working on the case.

The arson charges, one a first-degree felony, and the other a second-degree felony, carry a component that Schindler knowingly caused the fire, Limbian said.

The criminal damaging charge implied she either knowingly or recklessly did so, Limbian added. The original obstructing charge, a second-degree misdemeanor, also was refiled today, Limbian said.

Schindler’s arraignment on the new charges is set for Jan. 28 in juvenile court in the Martin P. Joyce Juvenile Justice Center, she said.

For the complete story, see Saturday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com.