Michele Howell Makes First Appearance on Arson Charges

April 16, 2021

Michele Howell appeared in Wallace County District Court on Wednesday, April 7th in person via zoom meeting.  Her court appointed attorney Justin Barrett, Colby opted not to appear with his client for her first appearance.
Wallace County Attorney Charles Moser appeared on behalf of the State of Kansas and alleged the following complaint against Howell:
Count 1: Aggravated Arson, a level 3, Person Felony, which carries a maximum sentence of 247 months in prison and maximum fine of $300,000.  The complaint alleges that on or about the 27th day of March, 2021, the defendant unlawfully and knowingly by means of a fire, damage property in which Allan and Mary Lou Hurlburt have an interest, without consent of Allan or Mary Lou Hurlburt, which resulted in substantial risk of bodily harm, in violation of KSA 21-5812(b)(1).
Count 2: Aggravated Arson, a level 3, Person Felony, which carries a maximum sentence of 247 months in prison and maximum fine of $300,000.  The complaint alleges that on or about the 1st day of April, 2021, the defendant unlawfully and knowingly by means of a fire, damage property in which Allan and Mary Lou Hurlburt have an interest, without consent of Allan or Mary Lou Hurlburt, which resulted in substantial risk of bodily harm, in violation of KSA 21-5812(b)(1).
Count 3: Arson, a level 7, Non-Person Felony, which carries a maximum of 34 months in prison and maximum fine of $100,000. The complaint alleges that on or about the 30th day of March, 2021, the defendant unlawfully and knowlingly damage property belonging to another person, Allan & Mary Lou Hurlburt, without their consent, in violation of KSA 21-5812(a)(1)(C).
Count 4: Attempted Arson, a level 9, Non-Person Felony which carries a maximum sentence of 17 months in prison and maximum fine of $100,000.  The complaint alleges that sometime between March 26th, 2021 and March 30th, 2021, the defendant unlawfully and willingly attempt to start a fire, toward the perpetration of Arson as defined by KSA 21-5812(a)(1)(C).
Count 5: Fleeing or Attempting to Elude a Police Officer, a class B, Non-Person Misdemeanor, which carries a maximum sentence of 6 months in county jail and maximum fine of $1000.  The complaint alleges that on or about April 1st, 2021, the defendant unlawfully, willfully, and intentionally, fail or refuse to bring her vehicle to a stop for a pursuing police vehicle when given visual or audible signal to bring the vehicle to a stop or attempt to flee or refuse to bring her vehicle to a stop, in violation of KSA 81568(a).
Count 6: Criminal Trespass, a class B, Non-Person Misdemeanor, which carries a maximum sentence of 6 months in county jail and maximum fine of $1000.  The complaint alleges that on or about the 27th day of March, 2021, the defendant unlawfully and willingly, and without authority of the owner, enter upon land she knew she was not authorized to do so, in violation of KSA 21-5808(a)(1)(A).
Count 7: Criminal Trespass, a class B, Non-Person Misdemeanor, which carries a maximum sentence of 6 months in county jail and maximum fine of $1000.  The complaint alleges that on or about the 1st day of April, 2021, the defendant unlawfully and willingly, and without authority of the owner, enter upon land she knew she was not authorized to do so, in violation of KSA 21-5808(a)(1)(A).
Count 8: Criminal Damage to Property, a class B, Non-Person Misdemeanor, which carries a maximum sentence of 6 months in county jail and maximum fine of $1000.  The complaint alleges that on or about the 27th day of March, 2021, the defendant unlawfully and intentionally, by means other than fire or explosive, damage property (garden hoses) in which another has an interest (Allan and Mary Lou Hurlburt) without consent of such other person, the damage being less than $1000.
Howell was taken into custody by the Wallace County Sheriff Office, on April 1st, 2021 after allegedly attempting to flee. 
As of April 7th, Howell is being held on a $350,000 bond. A status hearing has been scheduled in May. No plea was entered at the time of the first appearance. 
The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, in a court of law.