Post Falls woman indicted on cyberstalking charge after being accused of setting fire to Moran Prairie home

A Post Falls woman faces a federal indictment on a cyberstalking charge following a fire at an under-renovation Moran Prairie home in April.

Kimberly Brischle, 55, pleaded not guilty in July to three criminal counts tied to the blaze at 3111 E. 44th Ave. on April 28. Police records obtained this week through a public records request include details of a troubled relationship with the man who was remodeling the home under contract, and a fire investigator’s conclusion the fire was intentionally set in a closet while he was out-of-state.

Brischle is in custody of the Spokane County Jail. Her trial on the cyberstalking, interstate stalking and use of fire in commission of a felony charges is scheduled for late September.

The Spokane Fire Department extinguished the fire in less than an hour after an initial call came in just before 10 a.m., according to records. Inside the home, they found a damaged bathroom window and cans of paint that had been splashed on walls, counter tops and carpets. Appliances had also been dented and scratched.

The man renovating the home returned to Spokane about a week later to speak to investigators. He said Brischle was his ex-girlfriend, and that he suspected she’d set the fire because of “vague and threatening calls and texts” that had been sent, according to a police report.

While he was speaking with police, the man received multiple texts from Brischle, according to investigators.

“Well it’s good that you have a women (sic) you can shack up with right now while you’re in town. Good job,” one of the texts read, according to police reports.

The next day, police were called to the home again on reports of Brischle allegedly assaulting the ex-boyfriend. When police stopped Brischle, she denied involvement in the fire. Authorities took photographs of Brischle to see if she matched the images of a woman fleeing the scene shortly before the fire was reported, captured by neighbor’s security cameras.

The Spokane Fire Department’s investigation determined that the fire was likely set on the floor of the master bedroom’s closet. The fire caused an estimated $150,000 to $175,000 in damage.

The home remodeler, reached by phone on Friday, said that insurance had covered the losses and that he’d moved out of the area.

Brischle’s next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 14. She is being held without bond.