Woman detained for allegedly setting fires in Sherman Oaks area

A woman was taken into custody Wednesday for allegedly setting fires in the Sherman Oaks area overnight that were regarded by authorities as “suspicious” and later confirmed to have been intentionally set.

About 11:20 p.m. Tuesday, firefighters went to the 13800 block of Ventura Boulevard on a report of an “outside fire” that extended to a flower shop in a block-long row of commercial buildings, said Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The fire extended to the 3,000-square-foot, one-story flower shop, and was extinguished in 23 minutes by the firefighters, who prevented the flames from spreading to adjacent buildings, Humphrey said.

The fire, considered “suspicious,” was among several vegetation and/or debris fires that occurred in the general area at the time, according to Humphrey. No injuries were reported.

About 1:40 a.m. Wednesday, firefighters went to the 4600 block of North Nagle Avenue, south of the Ventura (101) Freeway, where they battled heavy flames at the 1,409-square-foot, one-story home, Humphrey said.

It took 47 firefighters 23 minutes to extinguish the flames, and no injuries were reported, Humphrey said. The location is about a mile from the flower shop that was damaged in the earlier fire.

The cause of the house fire was also considered suspicious, Humphrey said. LAFD arson investigators and Los Angeles Police Department Major Crimes Division investigators were assigned to the case.

On Wednesday afternoon, LAFD officials issued a statement confirming the fires at the flower shop and the home were “intentional acts” and that a suspect had been arrested.

Fox11 broadcast video of the woman being taken into custody, and reported that she is suspected of setting as many as a dozen fires, including the one that heavily damaged the flower shop, identified by the station as Mark’s Garden.

Fox11 identified the woman as Jacqueline Whatley, also known as Jacqueline Whatzey. According to the station, Whatley was arrested over the weekend for allegedly setting fires in the Los Feliz area, however, jail records show she was booked and released on her own recognizance, in accordance with the county’s new zero-bail policy.

Following her re-arrest Wednesday morning, jail records show the 36- year-old suspect was being held in lieu of $1 million bail.