Crime & Safety
San Rafael Woman Accused Of Setting Encampment Fire
Police allege the woman assaulted someone and set a large encampment on fire Friday morning near the Mahon Creek path.
SAN RAFAEL, CA — A 55-year-old San Rafael woman was arrested Friday for assaulting a victim and setting a tent on fire in the area of the Mahon Creek path, where a large encampment has grown significantly over the last several months.
San Rafael police responded to calls about a fire in the 700-block of Lincoln Avenue at approximately 6:16 a.m. Friday morning.
Fire crews and police officers arrived and located a tent in the encampment fully engulfed in flames. The firefighters promptly extinguished the fire before it spread to adjacent tents and vegetation.
Find out what's happening in San Rafaelfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
An investigation revealed that the suspect and victim were acquaintances and argued over a cell phone. The argument escalated to the point that the suspect swung a gardening machete at the victim, causing a visible injury.
The victim walked away, but the suspect allegedly continued to escalate and then set her own tent on fire, according to San Rafael police.
Find out what's happening in San Rafaelfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The suspect was booked into the Marin County Jail for causing a fire of an inhabited structure, a felony, and felony assault with a deadly weapon. The victim, in this case, is expected to recover.
Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area.
