Police: Columbus woman who reported her car stolen actually set it on fire

Dec. 31--A Columbus woman set fire to her own vehicle and abandoned it before making a false report Dec. 21 claiming it had been stolen, according to testimony Thursday morning in Columbus Recorder's Court.

Deborah Ann Jackson, 47, pleaded not guilty to first-degree arson and false report of a crime. She was ordered held in the Muscogee County Jail under bonds totaling $12,500.

Judge Michael Joyner bound the case over to Superior Court.

Authorities said Jackson called the Columbus Police Department around 8 a.m. Dec. 21 to report that her white 2000 Mercury Grand Marquis stolen from her residence in the 1900 block of Nina Street.

The patrol officer who took the report recognized the vehicle she described matched the description of a car that was found burned four hours prior on Bragg Street, about 3 miles from her home. It was left with $2,000 in damage, according to a police report.

Columbus Detective Robert Nicholas said he spoke with Jackson, who still had the keys to Mercury. She told police she didn't know who stole her vehicle.

Nicholas said she asked the woman if she filed a claim with her insurance, and she said she had not. He advised her to do so, and she did.

The insurance agent in charge of the claim Jackson filed called Nicholas on Tuesday and told him, "You're going to have an easy case with this one." He went on to say that Jackson stated during a recorded phone conversation that she and her son intentionally set the car on fire.

"She indicated to (the insurance agent) on the recorded telephone conversation that they had taken it to Bragg Smith Street and removed a set of high-priced rims from the vehicle that her son intended to resell," Nicholas testified. "That was shown to be accurate with the condition the vehicle was found in. It was found on cinder blocks with no wheels on it."

During the phone conversation, she also stated the vehicle had been "causing her some problems" and she used a can of gas to ignite it. It was found in the trunk of the Mercury, according to police.

After hearing the recording himself, Nicholas said he called Jackson to police headquarters for a Wednesday morning interview. He said he asked her to explain the situation again, and she continued to state she didn't know what happened to her car.

"When I informed her that I had already spoken with her insurance company and had already reviewed the recorded conversation where she admitted to setting the car on fire, she simply hung her head, turned around and presented her hands for cuffs," Nicholas testified.

She was taken into custody at the Columbus Public Safety Center, he confirmed. It's unclear at this time if her son has been charged or arrested in connection with the case.

Represented by Columbus Public Defender Charles Lykins, Jackson didn't testify in court.

Sarah Robinson: 706-571-8622, @sarahR_92

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