A 68-year-aged Louisville woman has been arrested and charged with arson after allegedly setting fire to her apartment building on Tazewell Drive on March 14, 2026, displacing a dozen residents and prompting a harrowing evacuation, according to Louisville Metro Police and court records.
Elizabeth Radmacher faces charges of first-degree arson, three counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, and first-degree criminal mischief, with a $50,000 cash bond set on March 18, according to court documents. She is currently held at Louisville Metro Department of Corrections and is scheduled to be arraigned on March 19, 2026.
The fire, which caused an estimated $100,000 in damages, originated in Radmacher’s bedroom, authorities say. Neighbors described a chaotic scene as they alerted residents to the blaze. “I knock at the doors and told everybody to receive out as the fire is coming,” said neighbor Chrictopha Hakizinana. Gregory Pendleton, another resident, praised Hakizinana’s quick actions, stating, “That neighbor who sprang into action to alert residents is a hero in my eyes.” Pendleton and his wife were among nearly a dozen people temporarily displaced by the fire.
Authorities stated that a family of three living in the apartment directly above Radmacher’s unit was at the greatest risk. The wanton endangerment charges reflect the potential for severe harm to those residents, including a child, according to Pendleton, who said, “I feel sorry for them. He had a kid up there, so he could have been badly burned or killed.” One person was treated at a hospital but has since been released and returned home.
According to court affidavits, Radmacher made disturbing statements at the scene, telling police and neighbors, “I’m going to kill everybody.” She also reportedly claimed that someone else had compelled her to start the fire.
Louisville Metro Arson Bureau investigators determined the fire was intentionally set. Lt. Col. Mike Sutt, deputy chief of the Anchorage Middletown Fire & EMS, emphasized the danger posed to first responders. “It’s a concern that our people could be potentially hurt or killed as well,” he said.
Court records indicate Radmacher was in the process of being evicted from the apartment prior to the incident. The Locust Woods apartment building sustained significant damage, with the interior of Radmacher’s unit scorched and filled with soot. Residents expressed relief that no one was seriously injured. “We’re just all blessed that we got out alive because it could have been worse, much worse,” Pendleton said.
Radmacher was arraigned on Thursday, March 19, where a judge ordered her to have no contact with the apartment complex, witnesses, or any fire-starting materials. She is scheduled to return to court on March 27 at 9 a.m.
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