Callaway County woman arrested on suspicion of arson, resisting arrest

Crystal Gates was found by a Jefferson City police officer after Callaway County asked for help in finding her. She had made several terroristic threats during several phone calls to the Callaway County 9-1-1 center.

When the officer got to her location at 607 Ohio St., he smelled a strong odor of smoke and saw a large amount of smoke coming out of a window that was missing on the front door. Gate would not answer the door, so the officer moved a blanket that was partially covering the window.

Gates then ran to the door and yelled at the officer, saying, “get out of my house.” The officer asked Gates what was burning, and she replied, “nothing is burning.” Gates continued to refuse to open the door, so the officer made a forced entry.

The officer found a phonebook in a steel pot, directly next to a main gas line. However, Gates failed to open the valve of the gas line.

Gates resisted arrest, but was eventually taken into custody.