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Woman charged for setting fire inside Lancaster County hotel, causing estimated $200,000 in damage

Kassandra Ojales, 25, also barricaded herself inside the room and attacked two police officers sent to remove her in the Sunday incident, according to police.
Credit: Manheim Township Police
Kassandra Ojales

LANCASTER, Pa. — A homeless Lancaster County woman is facing several charges after she allegedly set a fire in her hotel room, barricaded herself inside, and attacked two police officers sent to remove her in an incident Sunday morning, according to Manheim Township Police.

Kassandra M. Ojales, 25, is charged with aggravated assault on a police officer, criminal mischief, arson, risking or causing a catastrophe, and false alarms to agencies of public safety in the incident, which occurred around 8:34 a.m. at a Residence Inn on the 1400 block of Harrisburg Pike, police say.

Ojales was a guest on the fifth floor of the hotel, according to police. She allegedly set a fire in her room, causing two five-inch burn spots on the carpet and activating the building's sprinkler system, which flooded the fifth floor and all of the floors below, police say.

She then barricaded herself inside the room and refused to allow hotel workers or emergency personnel inside, police say. 

Police officers made entry to the room and removed Ojales, according to police. As she exited the room, she allegedly shoved two officers and attempted to get back inside. 

She also allegedly called 911 while in police custody, police say.

Ojales was taken to Central Arraignment for processing.

The total amount of damage to the hotel is currently unknown, according to police, but is believed to be in excess of $200,000.

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