Skip to content

Arsonist pleads guilty

The woman charged in relation to a fire that destroyed property and a home in Kehewin pled guilty to six charges. Arson by negligence and five other convictions have resulted in 150 days in custody for Colleen Tania Badger.
Provincial Building
Understanding Canada’s criminal justice system can be complicated.

The woman charged in relation to a fire that destroyed property and a home in Kehewin pled guilty to six charges.

Arson by negligence and five other convictions have resulted in 150 days in custody for Colleen Tania Badger.

On Tuesday, July 19, Badger appeared in Bonnyville court via CCTV from the Fort Saskatchewan Correctional Centre. She pled guilty to driving a motor vehicle without insurance, possession of stolen property, possession of methamphetamine, failing to attend court, arson caused by negligence, and breaching her conditions.

These charges stem from a number of different incidents, with the earliest taking place on Nov. 29, 2017.

Badger was pulled over by police in St. Paul, when she was driving a vehicle without insurance.

Honourable Judge Kathleen Williams sentenced Badger to pay the minimum $2,500 fine, as well as the $375 victim fine surcharge.

On Dec. 1, 2017, The Kehewin General Store called RCMP about a white truck at their store that was believed to be stolen. When officers arrived, they found Badger standing near the vehicle, and a quick search revealed the truck keys were in her pocket.

She was charged with possession of stolen property as a result.

Two days later, Bonnyville RCMP were conducting patrols in Kehewin when they noticed two females standing next to a snowmobile. The officer thought this was odd, considering just moments prior he had seen a truck in the area avoiding him.

The officer pulled over and arrested the two females, one of which was Badger. During a search, they found less than one-gram of methamphetamine and a pipe in her pockets.

The 38-year-old Kehewin woman was charged with possession of methamphetamine, and sentenced to pay a fine of $800.

Badger was on conditions on May 14, when police responded to a fire in Kehewin. Two holiday trailers and a mobile home had burned to the ground.

The family living inside of the mobile home had escaped unscathed.

According to Crown prosecutor Terry Mazeroll, Badger and her boyfriend Bob Lee White had been in an argument when she had started a fire, before heading inside.

White poured gasoline onto the fire and it spread to the two trailers and mobile home.

When RCMP arrived at the scene, they located Badger hiding inside of a trailer, however White had fled the scene. He was later arrested and has adjourned his matters to Aug. 7.

Badger was sentenced to five months in custody and 12 months probation as a result of these charges. One of her conditions is not to contact White.

She had 52 days left to serve as of her sentencing.

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks