Police: Woman Started Fire that Hurt Firefighter In Attempt to Steal Ex-Boyfriend's Dog

Update:

Nikole Anne Kramer, 25, of Carter Lake was arrested yesterday and charged with first-degree arson for a fire that hurt an Iowa City firefighter.

A police criminal complaint released today reveals that her motive for setting the fire was to steal her ex-boyfriend's dog.

According to the criminal complaint, a person suspected to be Kramer set a fire at Apt. #1 at 421 S. Dodge Street at 10:53 p.m. on Jan. 29, 2011. The fire was determined by investigators to have been started intentionally using gasoline.

During their attempt to extinguish the blaze, an Iowa City firefighter received burns on both of his hands.

Police interviewed "a witness" who told them that Kramer was in a relationship with one of the tenants of Apt. #1 and wanted to steal her ex-boyfriend's dog without him knowing about it, according to the complaint. Kramer also allegedly told the witness that she was going to go get gasoline prior to the fire being set.

Police say that Kramer was found hours after the fire with the dog in her possession, and told police she had been in the area at the time of the fire, which was also confirmed by her cell phone, according to the complaint. Kramer allegedly had differing versions of what she had been doing at the time the fire was set.

Kramer was booked into the Johnson County Jail on $10,000 cash/surety bond and made bail and was released from police custody this morning at 11:00 a.m.

Previous Coverage:

An Iowa City firefighter was injured in January 2011 by a fire determined by police to have been started on purpose by a Carter Lake woman.

According to an Iowa City Police press release, after continued investigation into the incident, Nikole Kramer, 25, of Carter Lake was arrested in that town today and is currently in the Johnson County Jail.

On Saturday January 29, 2011 at about 11:00 p.m. members of  both the Iowa City Police and Fire Departments responded to 421 South Dodge Street for the report of a structure fire. During fire suppression efforts, one fire fighter sustained burns to both of his hands. Investigation determined that the fire was set intentionally using gasoline, according to the release.

Kramer has been charged with first-degree arson for the incident, a Class B felony.