Judge orders mental health assessment of woman accused of Armstrong arsons

A 60-year-old Armstrong woman charged in connection with a series of suspicious fires on Monday night has been ordered to undergo a mental health assessment.

Colette Leneveu is facing four counts of intentionally or recklessly causing damage by fire or explosion.

Police said, on Monday night, they responded to two suspected arsons in the 3000-block of Okanagan Street in Armstrong, one involving a set of tires near a garage and the other the back deck of a home.

The RCMP said they then responded to the 2200-block of Okanagan Street because someone “attempted to light two cars on fire and fled the area.”

On Friday, a judge ordered Leneveu to undergo an assessment at the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital at the request of her counsel.

The assessment is aimed at determining whether, when she allegedly committed the crimes, she was mentally fit enough to be criminally prosecuted for her alleged actions.

Leneveu will remain in custody while the assessment is completed.

Along with the suspicious fires on March 12 that Leneveu is charged in connection with, there have been three other suspicious fires in Armstrong.

Those fires broke out on March 8 and 9.

On March 10, during Global Okanagan’s coverage of those earlier blazes, Leneveu agreed to be interviewed by Global News and said she lived in the area.

Leneveu is not facing charges in connection with the fires on March 8 and 9.