Suspected Vernon Hills arsonist pleads guilty to similar charges in New Jersey
A Vernon Hills woman facing Lake County charges for igniting trash can fires also awaits sentencing in New Jersey for starting a brush fire with a Molotov cocktail, authorities confirmed.
Stephanie M. Wollar, 28, who faces multiple counts of arson and criminal damage to public property for starting fires at Vernon Hills parks between Nov. 2 and Jan. 1, pleaded guilty in Morris County, New Jersey, to charges she created a widespread risk of injury or damage. authorities said.
Wollar also pleaded guilty in New Jersey in December to attempting to obtain a controlled dangerous substance by fraud, said Thomas A. Zelante, a first assistant prosecutor with the Morris County prosecutor's office.
Wollar is scheduled to be sentenced March 6 in New Jersey. Officials would not comment on the length of the prison sentence she faces.
According to New Jersey published reports, Wollar was arrested in Butler, New Jersey, after she threw several beer bottles filled with gasoline into a forested area Aug. 12, 2013.
A nearby resident put out most of the flames, NJ.com reported, and forensic evidence led police to charge Wollar. No injuries were reported in the fire, which caused minimal damage, NJ.com reported.
In Vernon Hills, Wollar was charged Nov. 15 with starting garbage fires at Deerpath, Augusta and Kelli Garvanian parks. She was arrested when officers spotted her trying to set fire to a bag of yard waste in the 300 block of Albany Lane near Deerpath subdivision.
She admitted to the crime and posted bail. During questioning with police, she told authorities she set the garbage can fires to "relieve stress."
Wollar was arrested Jan. 1 and charged with starting a garbage can on fire at Augusta Park. She was returned to Lake County jail and ordered held on $500,000 bail.
She faces 3 to 7 years in prison for the November fires, and 3 to 7 years in prison for the January fire. The charges would be served consecutively because they occurred separately, authorities said.
Total damage estimates were about $6,000 for the Vernon Hills fires, authorities said. No injuries were reported in any of the fires.