Bristol woman allegedly tries to burn house down after learning of foreclosure

A Bristol woman faces a felony arson charge for allegedly trying to burn her house down after learning the home would go into foreclosure, according to the police report.

Deanna Stegenga, 40, of Jefferson Avenue allegedly told another resident of the home “Let’s burn the house down” before lighting a cardboard box on fire and placing it on a kitchen counter last Thursday, the Bristol Police Department wrote in the incident report.

Stegenga was arrested on charges of first-degree arson, second-degree threatening and second-degree breach of peace.

According to the report, the other resident of the home put the box in the sink and put out the flames.

No injuries were reported. The police report does not indicate whether firefighters responded to the home.

The complainant told police he was worried that if he were at work he would not be able to make it home in time if Stegenga lit the home on fire, the report said.

The man reportedly told police he and Stegenga had been arguing throughout the day over the foreclosure, adding that at one point he recorded her telling him “It ain’t (expletive) threats, it’s promises. I’m gonna (expletive) kill you in your (expletive) sleep,” according to the report. Bristol police said the man played the recording for an officer.

Stegenga reportedly told officers she did not actually intend to burn the house down when she lit the box on fire, adding that she was very angry and sometimes “likes to light things on fire so she can cool down,” police wrote in the report. She conceded to an officer that she threatened the other resident of the home, saying “I can’t lie, I want to kill him sometimes, it’s the truth,” according to the report.

Stegenga was released from custody and arraigned the next day in New Britain Superior Court. She is due back in court on Tuesday to enter a plea, judicial records indicate.