LADUE, Mo. (First Alert 4) – A St. Louis County woman faces three charges after police said she started a fire in a church and punched an officer in the face while in custody.
Janiya Raechell Van faces one count of knowingly burning or exploding, one count of fourth-degree assault and one count of escape or attempted escape from custody in two separate cases, according to court records.
A probable-cause statement filed by the St. Louis County Police Department said Van was originally arrested on May 11 for trespassing. While in custody at the St. Louis County Jail, she slipped her left hand out of her handcuffs and punched an officer in the face…