A Poplar Bluff, Mo., woman was ordered to stand trial Friday afternoon on murder, arson and assault charges stemming from a June apartment house fire.
After meeting with her attorney, David Ward with the Public Defender's Office, and an interpreter, Tara Janae Maxfield, who is deaf, appeared before Associate Circuit John Bloodworth.
The 41-year-old resident of the 200 block of Alvin Street was supposed to have a preliminary hearing in her case on the Class A felonies of second-degree murder and first-degree arson and four Class B felonies of first-degree assault.
"She's going to waive," Ward told Bloodworth as he handed him a waiver signed by his client.
As the interpreter signed his words to Maxfield, Bloodworth said: "It's my understanding from your attorney you wish to waive your right to a preliminary hearing. ... Have you had enough time to discuss this with your attorney?"
Maxfield answered "yep" to each question, with a "yes" following from her interpreter.
Bloodworth also asked whether Maxfield understood what a preliminary is and that it involved state presenting evidence.
Maxfield answered affirmatively.
"Are you waiving your right because you feel it's in your best interest," Bloodworth asked.
Again Maxfield answered affirmatively.
"Has anyone made promises or threatened you to waive your right," Bloodworth asked.
"No," Maxfield replied.
At that point, Bloodworth said, he would accept Maxfield's waiver and ordered she appear at 1 p.m. Sept. 5 before Presiding Circuit Judge Michael Pritchett for arraignment on the charges.
When Bloodworth told Maxfield where Pritchett's courtroom was, Maxfield replied: "I've been there before; I know where it is."
The charges against Maxfield stem from an investigation into a June 4 fire at 712 Poplar St.
According to earlier reports, Poplar Bluff firefighters found Tommy Eugene Younger, who was unconscious and barely breathing, inside his first-floor apartment after responding there at 10:43 a.m.
After rescuing the 57-year-old, he later died at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center at about 5:30 p.m.
Maxfield is accused of causing Younger's death during her "attempted perpetration" of arson.
Maxfield also is accused of assaulting Paul E. Boyer, Tony Frymire, Stephanie Kiper and Jodi Blackmore, who were inside the other apartments at the time she allegedly set the fire.
When firefighters arrived, they reportedly found heavy smoke and fire on the front of the home, which had been added on to and converted into three apartments.
According to Poplar Bluff Police Detective Andy Cleaveland's probable-cause statement, Boyer had been trapped by the flames and "resorted to jumping from a second-story window to the ground, which was approximately 20 feet below."
Boyer, he said, suffered what were described as minor injuries, as well as severe smoke inhalation, which required medical treatment.
Cleaveland said Frymire, Kiper and Blackmore had been trapped in a first-floor apartment and escaped through a window by moving a window-mounted air conditioning unit.
The cause of the fire was investigated by the State Fire Marshal's Office and police detectives, and it was found to be arson.
During the investigation, Maxfield was identified as a person of interest.
Officers, Cleaveland said, were told Kiper had seen Maxfield, who was described as being in an "enraged condition," outside the Poplar Street residence.
Maxfield subsequently was contacted and interviewed through the use of special equipment.
Although Maxfield initially denied being near the scene, she reportedly later admitted to starting the fire using a lighter to catch a blanket on fire.
The blanket, Cleaveland said, was on a couch on the front porch at the time it allegedly was lit on fire.
"Upon the ignition of the blanket, and then the couch, the front of the residence caught fire," Cleaveland said.
The home reportedly had only one entrance on the front porch.