On Monday, August 2, 2021 at 2:52 pm, Columbia Police and Fire personnel were dispatched to an address in the 500 block of Chestnut Street in Columbia Borough for a vehicle fire. A BMW sport-utility vehicle was found to be on fire to the rear of the property near a garage. The investigation showed that the fire was intentionally set inside the vehicle.  

On Tuesday, August 3, 2021 at 12:43 pm, Columbia Police and Fire personnel were again dispatched to the same address in the 500 block of Chestnut Street in Columbia Borough for another fire.  During this incident, police and fire personnel found that a fire was set directly outside the same BMW sport-utility vehicle.  In addition, someone again tried to ignite the interior of the vehicle.  The fire that was burning outside the vehicle spread to the garage roof and caused fire damage to the roof structure. Fire and Police personnel were able to successfully extinguish the fire. 

Following an investigation that included the Columbia Police Department, the Columbia Fire Department, and the Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshal Unit, it was determined that Shannon Jones, 34, was responsible for starting the fires on both August 2 and August 3.  As a result of this determination, Shannon Jones was charged with 4 counts of Arson-Dangerous Burning and an arrest warrant was obtained on August 4.  Jones was taken into custody on August 5 and arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Miles Bixler.  She was committed to Lancaster County Prison in lieu of bail.  This investigation is ongoing.  Anyone with information related to this investigation is encouraged to contact Columbia Police Detective Matt Leddy at 717-684-7735.