Early Sunday, a fire erupted in an apartment at 250 N. Pacific in Orcutt/Santa Maria. A female, who was disabled, was found at the front of the residence and said she was able to exit her residence without injury.
An investigator determined the fire appeared to have been intentionally set.
Sheriff’s detectives determined that the female had been at the residence for only about a week and that her sister, 50-year-old Lolita Nelson, actually rented the apartment. Nelson was not present at the time of the fire and had been seen leaving in a vehicle just before the fire.
After an investigation, detectives arrested Nelson on a charge of attempted murder. She was booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail and held in lieu of $500,000 bail.
Sgt. Alex Tipolt is a public information officer for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department.