Staff Report

Lindsey Rae Allman

PLYMOUTH — A Plymouth woman was recently arrested after allegedly attempting to set a Marshall County church on fire.

Lindsey Rae Allman, 43, 2403 N. Michigan St. 3, Plymouth, is charged with attempt to commit arson, a level 4 felony; criminal mischief, a class A misdemeanor; and leaving the scene of an accident, a class B misdemeanor.

On July 9, Marshall County Sheriff’s officers were dispatched to the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Plymouth. Officers received a report of a vehicle driving into the building and something being on fire. Initial reports said a vehicle had hit the side of the church and a woman was throwing rocks at the building. The woman was last seen fleeing the scene in her vehicle.

According to court documents, upon arrival, officers saw two men standing in the church’s parking lot. Both men said they were in the area at the time of the incident. The men told officers they heard a loud noise and went to investigate.

One of the men said he saw a dark green vehicle driving in the church’s parking lot until it hit the northwest corner of the church. Both men saw the woman exit her vehicle and look at the front end of her vehicle. The woman then got back into her vehicle, stopped on another side of the building, got out and began throwing rocks at the church. She allegedly threw a lit cigarette into the church’s landscaping area. When the men yelled at her to stop, the woman yelled, “This place is a ******* cult!”

The men said they were going to call the police, at which point the woman got back into her vehicle and left the scene at a high rate of speed. While investigating the church’s main entrance, officers noticed burn marks on the outside of the main door. The entire outside of the door was covered in an unknown liquid which had a strong odor. It appeared that the unknown liquid was poured all over and someone had used a fire source near the liquid to attempt to start a fire.

One corner of the church’s building and a rain gutter sustained damage. Several large plants in the church’s landscaping were also damaged. While at the scene, officers noticed there was a Ring doorbell at the church. A member of Kingdom Hall answered and was asked by officers to come to the scene.

Through further investigation, officers learned that Allman used to go to the church but had left mad with the church.

On July 10, officers found a vehicle that belonged to Allman that had damage and was missing its back window. While talking with officers, Allman said she used to attend the church but that it was a cult and she didn’t attend any longer.

Allman later told one of the officers that she acted alone and did commit the crime.

She was booked in the Marshall County Jail on July 12.