Springville, N.Y. (WBEN) - A Springville woman was arraigned on Wednesday morning in Springville Village Court in connection to a fire in the village late Monday night.
Sara Lilley, 36, is facing one count of Arson in the Second Degree (Class “B” felony) for her alleged involvement in setting the Springbrook Apartments on fire on Monday before 10:40 p.m. EST. She was remanded by the judge, and was also ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation.
A tentative court date for a felony hearing has been set for Monday, Feb. 6 at 10 a.m. EST back at Springville Village Court.
"This was the first step in the process of getting my client arraigned on the one charge of arson in the second degree," said Attorney Timothy Brooks on Wednesday following the arraignment. "At this point in time, the matter has been adjourned until Feb. 6, whereby there's going to be a felony hearing that's going to be conducted as it pertains to this case. But again, my client's entitled to the presumption of innocence. These are mere allegations, just charges. So at this point in time, that's where we stand right now. We stand adjourned until that felony hearing takes place."
Brooks did add there's going to be a bail application that will be made, likely within the next day or so. That will take place with, in all likelihood, an Erie County Court judge.
Lilley was returned to the Erie County Holding Center following her court appearance.
If convicted of the charge, Lilley faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.
The Springville native was also remanded on a pending burglary charge where she was released on her own recognizance. She was arraigned in Springville Village Court back in October of 2022 on one count of Burglary in the Third Degree (Class “D” felony) and one count of Petit Larceny (Class “A” misdemeanor).
It is alleged that on Oct. 20, 2022 at approximately 5:57 p.m. EST, Lilley knowingly entered and remained unlawfully inside the local Walmark on South Cascade Drive with the intent to commit a crime. The defendant allegedly stole $38.04 in merchandise.
At the time of the alleged crime, the defendant was banned from the store after a previous shoplifting incident in February 2022.
In addition, Lilley faces a separate arrest warrant in the Town of Yorkshire that she has yet to respond to.
According to a report from WIVB-TV, Lilley has been the subject of 63 9-1-1 calls over the last six months.
Four families were displaced by the blaze, and up to a dozen were rescued from the flames that drew firefighters from multiple localities.