Woman sets fire in front of neighbor's home; yells 'fire' topless from balcony, say police

Peggy Wright | Morristown Daily Record

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MONTVILLE TOWNSHIP — A 45-year-old woman is charged with setting a fire outside her neighbor's apartment door then screaming "fire" while topless from her balcony, police charged.

Brandie L. Garrido, a resident of Rachel Gardens apartment complex in the Pine Brook section of Montville, was charged with criminal mischief, recklessly creating a risk of widespread injury or damage to the 24-unit apartment complex, obstruction, resisting arrest and aggravated assault on police officers.

Garrido allegedly spit on one officer as he tried to remove her from a police car after her arrest and pushed, kicked and swung her arms at four officers as they tried to arrest and handcuff her, court records state.

A judge Wednesday released Garrido from the Morris County jail on orders she have no contact with the neighbor and refrain from excessive alcohol. She next is due in Superior Court, Morristown, on Sept. 4.

Police were called Monday at 8 a.m. to the complex, where Garrido allegedly set fire to a magazine and let it burn on her neighbor's front door rubber mat. Garrido also allegedly wrote a derogatory word on the neighbor's door in marker. According to court records, Garrido believed the neighbor called police and reported she was disciplining her children.

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Police met with the building manager, who pointed out the ashes. Officers tried to speak to Garrido at her apartment but she was "belligerent and irate," suspected of being drunk, and slammed and re-opened her door repeatedly to police while yelling, court records say. Garrido, court records state, "was topless, exposing her breasts fully."

Authorities, who were concerned with the whereabouts of Garrido's 10-year-old son, tried to speak to her through her door, records show. The apartment complex manager notified police Garrido was on the balcony, topless, screaming and alarming people, court records state.

The manager told police people were running from the building and believed Garrido might jump, court records show. The manager opened the door to the apartment and Garrido was heard yelling from the balcony about the fire that Montville police were doing nothing anything about, records state.

Police entered the apartment and advised Garrido she was being arrested. She allegedly tried to slam the door shut, "became dead weight" and fell to the floor. She kicked at police and tried to pull her hands away as officers tried to handcuff her, records state.

While in a patrol car awaiting an ambulance, Garrido smashed her head around the back seat and tried to kick out a rear window, records state. She faked sleep but when an officer tried to escort her out of the patrol car, she spit in his eyes, records state.

She was examined at a hospital, released and told police on Tuesday she started the fire, records state.

Staff Writer Peggy Wright: 973-267-1142; pwright@GannettNJ.com.