Haines City, Florida – A Haines City woman has been charged with aggravated stalking and second degree arson after pouring gas on a home she shares with her husband.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrest affidavit on 05/21/2018 at approximately 7:05am deputies responded to the area Kalogridis Rd., Haines City in reference to a female pouring gas on a mobile home trailer.The reportee advised the female was wearing a red white and blue bandanna. As deputies were heading to that location they were advised that the female suspect left the scene. A description of the vehicle was given to deputies and they located the vehicle at 30th St. S and Hinson Ave. and the operator of the vehicle, later identified as Mary Bajada (DOB: 10/07/1963), was wearing a red while and blue bandanna.
Upon contact with Mary Bajada, she allegedly and spontaneously advised it was none of the deputies business why she was pouring gas on her mobile home. Bajada then advised it was not even gas that she was pouring but that it was water. Upon Bajada opening her vehicle door the deputy could smell the strong odor of gasoline coming from the vehicle. The deputy also could see, in plain sight, a can of gasoline in the passenger side floor board. Bajada advised she has been in an ongoing argument with her neighbors and she was pouring water on the door of her property to see if her neighbors were going to be nosey and say something about it. Bajada advised she was not going to actually light the mobile home on fire.
Upon searching Bajada’s person deputies discovered a lighter in her jean pocket.
Additional deputies meanwhile responded to the residence and advised they could smell gasoline on the mobile home.
Deputies made contact with Joseph Bajada, victim/husband, who advised he has been staying at another residence, a few doors down, full time because he and the suspect have been going through a divorce. According to the affidavit the victim has alleged the suspect has been repeatedly calling him and threatening him by stating she was going to burn the house down and she hopes he is in there when it burns. The victim advised he did not tell the suspect where he was at the time she called because he was in fear for his safety.
The suspect called the victim on the following dates and made statements that she was going to burn down the mobile home that he was staying in:
05/21/2018 at 0554 hours.
05/19/2018 at 1331 hours.
05/15/2018 at 1802 hours.
Due to the suspect willfully and intentionally pouring gas on the mobile home and having the lighter on her person at the time of the incident she was arrested by deputies and charged with arson FSS.806.01(2). Additionally due to the suspect calling and threatening the victim on multiple occasions, the suspect was charged with aggravated stalking FSS. 784.048(3)..
Mary Bajada was transported to the Polk County Jail without incident. She posted bail and has a court date of June 26, 2018.
