Woman charged with arson after setting damaging fire in Athens hospital

By Joe Johnson

Sandy Nashalle Franklin, 45, of Broadacres Court, was arrested last week after she set a fire inside Piedmont Athens Regional that caused extensive damage.

According to police, the incident occurred shortly after 10 pm May 8th in a room near the ambulance entrance where Franklin set a trash can fire that burned for about 10 minutes before the sprinkler system was activated.

The sprinkler system extinguished the fire but it also flooded the Emergency Department, causing “severe water damage,” police said.

“The water ran through the floor and caused several rooms in the basement of the hospital to flood as well,” according to police.

Hospital security identified Franklin to police, who arrested her at home on charges of first-degree arson and first-degree criminal damage to property.

It was the second time that Franklin was arrested last week.

On the afternoon of May 4th Franklin caused havoc down the road from her apartment, on West Broad Street where she threw rooks at vehicles, exposed herself to motorists, and climbed onto a car.

Police charged her with disorderly conduct, public indecency, and criminal damage to property,

Franklin is being held at the county jail without bail,