Woman accused of setting estranged husband’s home on fire released from jail
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — An Albuquerque man was watching his home security cameras as his estranged wife, Angela Sander, allegedly lit his garage on fire Sunday.
Eventually, Angela was arrested for arson, aggravated burglary, and criminal damage to property. However, she’s out of jail and Dean Sander says he’s worried about what she will do next.
Dean has filed a second restraining order against Angela. The two have been going through a divorce for more than a year. During most of that time, he had a restraining order, but it expired on Jan. 12.
On Sunday, Dean said he got a security system alert and saw Angela at his door. Surveillance shows her yelling at him through his Ring doorbell about getting her car back, which was stored in his garage. The video shows her leaving, but Dean said she returned later that same day.
When she came back, she allegedly rammed her car through his garage door and then lit his garage on fire. Surveillance video shows someone walking away from the garage that is going up in flames, and then the cameras dies.
Angela was in court Thursday, where the state argued she should be kept in jail until trial – focusing on the fact she went back to the victim’s home three times.
“Demonstrates that she is focused on doing some type of harm against the victim and even if we are to place her in some type of limited conditions of release, it wouldn’t help her from going to his home or trying to harm him,” said Eulalia Kafari, the prosecuting attorney.
The defense disagreed, saying the fact that she went back so many times shows she knew Dean wasn’t home and, if anything, she just wanted to damage his property.
Judge Cindy Leos said Angela’s behavior was concerning, but other than a DWI charge in a different state from 2002, Angela has no other criminal history.
“I am going to find the allegations are violent and dangerous, I thnk the weight of the evidence against the defendant is strong, however, as the state conceded, there is zero criminal activity for the defendant in the last 20 years,” Leos said.
As part of Angela’s conditions of release, she’s not allowed to have firearms or weapons, consume drugs or alcohol, or have any contact with Dean.
Angela’s next court date has not been set.