Piqua woman accused of setting house on fire enters insanity plea

A not guilty by reason of insanity plea was entered in Miami County Common Pleas Court for a Piqua woman facing a felony indictment for aggravated arson in a 2016 fire at her house.

Katherine Wells, 57, is accused of knowingly creating a risk of serious physical harm by setting fire to the house on Janet Drive on Aug. 23, 2016. Piqua police reports said told them she started the fire in kitchen curtains and then left the residence. The house was destroyed.

Wells initially was charged in county Municipal Court, where she was found incompetent to stand trial in November 2016 and sent for up to a year to the Northwest Ohio Psychiatric Hospital in Toledo.

She was indicted by a county grand jury earlier this month and the not guilty by reason of insanity plea was filed Wednesday, Feb. 21.

Wells is being held in lieu of $75,000 bail.

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