Waukesha arson investigation; 57-year-old woman accused, charged

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Kimberly Hook

WAUKESHA, Wis. - A 57-year-old Waukesha woman is accused of setting fire to a Waukesha garage on Jan. 8. The accused is Kimberly Hook – and she faces the following criminal counts: 

• Arson of property other than building
• Resisting an officer

Arson investigation

What we know:

According to the criminal complaint, Waukesha police were dispatched on Thursday, Jan. 8 to a fire near Scott Avenue and Wilson Avenue. When officers arrived on the scene, they saw heavy smoke coming from a garage in the backyard of a residence.

Officers spoke with one of the two people who lived at the residence. He indicated they both smoked but "he did not believe (a) cigarette could have started the fire as they primarily use electronic cigarettes in the winter," the complaint says.

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At the scene, a witness approached an officer with information that he found suspicious. The officer reviewed doorbell video footage provided by the witness. It showed "an unknown woman coming to the door and smoking a cigarette, opening a screen door and then speaking with the owner remotely through the doorbell about how she was looking for a homeless 'Jessie,'" the complaint says. The officer recognized the unknown woman through his tenure at the Waukesha County Jail as the defendant, Kimberly Hook.

Fire inspectors and the fire marshal indicated there were suspicious circumstances surrounding the cause of the fire "due to an unknown female seen in a video at the residence at the time of the fire," the complaint says.

A detective reviewed even more camera video from surrounding buildings and saw video of a person "seen in the driveway and flames are seen in the exact area the person is before that person runs away from the property," the complaint says. The person was determined to be the same person the officer had earlier recognized as the defendant.

Arrest of defendant

Dig deeper:

On Friday, Jan. 9, officers located and arrested the defendant, "who is the suspect in the arson investigation," the complaint says. The court filing said during the arrest process, Hook "was uncooperative and repeatedly used vulgar language." 

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At the Waukesha County Jail, the complaint indicates Hook had similar behavior. She was "loud and boisterous" and "continued to yell and scream," the court filing says. The defendant later "continued to become more aggressive where the defendant tried kicking (an officer) multiple times," the complaint says. She was later taken to the ground by officers, leg straps were placed on her, and she was put in a restraint chair.

What's next:

Hook made her initial appearance in Waukesha County court on Monday, Jan. 12. Cash bond was set at $3,000. 

Hook is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on Jan. 21.