Traverse City woman arraigned on arson charge

May 23—TRAVERSE CITY — A woman suspected of pouring gasoline on a local man's tent and setting it ablaze while the man was inside appeared for an arraignment hearing and was charged with second-degree arson.

Tabitha Dunlop, 40, of Traverse City, who court records show was also charged with possession of a stun gun, pleaded not guilty and remained jailed Monday on a $50,000 cash or surety bond.

Police previously said the unnamed 38-year-old male who'd occupied the tent walked away unharmed.

Dunlop is accused by Traverse City police of pouring gasoline on the man's campfire and his tent, which was pitched at "The Pines," a homeless encampment near the 600 block of South Division Street.

Grand Traverse County central dispatch reported receiving multiple calls Thursday at 11:12 p.m. about a potential wildfire in the area, as previously reported.

By the time the Traverse City Fire Department arrived to extinguish the fire, the flames already destroyed a campsite and nearby vegetation, they said.

An investigation determined the fire was intentionally set and police said a female suspect initially fled the area but later was arrested. Police found what they identified as a stun gun in the woman's backpack during the search, officials said.

Dunlop, at her arraignment hearing Monday, was represented by attorney Janet Mistele, who asked the bond be reduced so Dunlop could attend an upcoming Social Security disability hearing.

"While we do recognize the current charges are serious charges, that's all they are at this point — charges," Mistele said. "I'm sure the court is aware it takes a long time to get those hearings," Mistele added, regarding Social Security disability determination hearings.

Magistrate Tammi Rodgers ordered Dunlop's current cash or surety bond conditions be continued, citing the dangerous nature of the crimes the defendant is accused of.

"There is a history of violent convictions," Rodgers said. "The allegations in this case are very serious and I believe you do pose a threat to public safety, the safety of a named other, as well as yourself."

Rodgers said Dunlop has a pending felony charge in Benzie County with a hearing scheduled July 30. Court staff in Benzie County confirmed Dunlop was recently arraigned there on a false report of a felony charge.

It was unclear on Monday whether a dangerous weapons charge from Mackinac County, which Rodgers also referenced in her bond decision, had been dismissed, as Dunlop stated to Mistele.

Dunlop appeared for her arraignment from Grand Traverse County jail, where a corrections officer helped her use a tablet so she could appear remotely. When Rodgers asked Dunlop to raise her right hand to be sworn, Dunlop said she could not because she was strapped to her chair.

"She has been prescribed a number of medications which she had not been given since she's been in jail and it's causing her difficulty," Mistele said.

"Please your honor, all I am asking is for my meds," Dunlop said.

Rodgers advised Dunlop to speak with jail staff and her attorney, once one was appointed. Mistele represented Dunlop for her arraignment, though another attorney may be assigned to represent Dunlop in subsequent hearings.

Jail Administrator Capt. Chris Barsheff said it was rare for jail staff to use a restraint chair during an arraignment, but they are an option when someone is a danger to themselves or jail staff or damaging property.

"Those are the only times we would restrain somebody," Barsheff said.

People incarcerated at the jail who are on prescription medication are evaluated by medical staff, Barsheff said, and a doctor determines which medications are appropriate.

"It's a balancing act," Barsheff said. "The general public might not understand that prescription medication can be misused, diverted or stockpiled and might not be appropriate for a corrections environment."

Sometimes other medications are substituted for medications an incarcerated person has been prescribed prior to being lodged in the jail, he said.

A probable cause conference is scheduled June 1, with a pre-trial examination June 8 in front of 86th District Court Judge Robert Cooney.