Catherine Park
SONORA – The Columbia Gem Motel is a quaint little place just north of Sonora, past Squabbletown, in the Columbia community.
Columbia Gem Motel
However, just after midnight on Monday, September 19th, the quiet was disturbed by a call to police concerning an attempted arson.
The motel’s owner related that there had been other small arson fires on Sunday and that Catherine Park, a 61-year-old guest at the motel, was suspected of setting them.
Park was arrested on suspicion of arson after police spoke with her and the witness about these allegations.
In addition, Park is been suspected of starting a fire in June of 2015 that destroyed a mobile home.
Park is being held on a $25,000 bail at the Tuolumne County Jail, where she will not be able to light any fires…. for now.
