Woman denies setting fire to her vehicle in insurance fraud case

Editor’s Note: On March 25, 2019, the case against Tashia Dudley was dismissed. According to the Superior Court of Muscogee County, recent developments in the case prevented the State from moving forward. A key witness changed his story and the victim is no longer in business.

A 35-year-old woman accused of intentionally setting fire to her vehicle pleaded not guilty to multiple charges Friday in Columbus Recorder’s Court.

Tashia Dudley pleaded not guilty to first-degree arson, false report of a crime and insurance fraud charges. She was placed in the Muscogee County Jail under bonds totaling $33,000. The case was bound over to Superior Court.

Columbus Fire investigator Daniel Irions said authorities were called to a car fire at the intersection of Kolb Avenue and 52nd Street Aug. 15 around 1:44 a.m. Firefighters and police found a 2008 Hyundai Terracan engulfed in flames.

Officials extinguished the fire, but the $12,000 vehicle was a total loss, the investigator told the court.

Irions said he went to the scene and learned the vehicle belonged to Dudley, who lived seven blocks away.

Columbus Police Officer Justin Chappell went to Dudley’s Kolb Avenue residence to speak with her about the incident, and Irions stayed on the scene.

“I continued my investigation and found that no damage had occurred on the underside of the vehicle or over the engine compartment,” Irions told the court.

Evidence indicated the car was driven to the scene and the fire started on the passenger side, Irions said. There were no signs of forced entry, he told the court.

Irions then went to the Dudley’s residence to meet the officer and defendant.

Dudley told officials that the last time she saw her vehicle was when she returned home Aug. 14 around 5:30 p.m., according to the investigator’s testimony.

Dudley said the doors were locked and she had one of the only two keys to the vehicle. The car dealership had the other, Dudley reportedly said to authorities.

Irions said the defendant repeatedly denied moving or burning the vehicle but mentioned that she was experiencing a financial hardship.

“Ms. Dudley stated that she had a bad year … ,” Irions testified. “She stated that she was two months behind on the payment of the Terracan.”

On Aug. 17, Irions went to the car dealership that sold Dudley the vehicle. The employees said they gave Dudley both keys when she purchased it, the official said.

Irions also learned Dudley made an insurance claim in which the company would pay the car off.

Dudley told the court that she was honest with officials when they questioned her about the incident.

“When they were walking up, the first thing I see is my car missing so of course I’m going to be surprised,” she said. “I think anyone would be surprised if they had something set in a certain spot all the time and it not be there.”

Dudley confirmed she reported the incident to her insurance company.

“They had not paid anything because they were doing their own investigation,” she said.

This story was originally published September 4, 2015 at 6:22 PM.