A 49-year-old woman was arrested this week on suspicion of arson, assault on a police officer and resisting arrest for allegedly starting a fire near a gas station and then punching a police officer in the face.

Authorities received a report about 12:30 p.m. Sunday that a woman was on the Main Avenue bridge that crosses the Animas River between 15th and 16th streets trying to spit on people floating the river and walking the Animas River Trail.

“She was also screaming she had ‘HIV’ and that she hated white people,” according to the arrest affidavit.

When officers arrived, the woman in question had moved to the Speedway gas station at 1991 Main Ave. and had allegedly started a fire.

Durango Police Cmdr. Ray Shupe said a trooper with Colorado State Patrol was in the area and quickly put out the fire with an extinguisher.

Officers made contact with the woman outside the Brookside Motel at 2331 Main Ave. The woman gave a false name to police but was later identified as Mari Lynn Weaver of Ignacio.

Officers asked Weaver what happened but her answers were “incoherent,” the investigating officer wrote. After asking about the fire, Weaver allegedly threw a box of matches into a bush.

While officers were at the scene, Weaver attempted to leave.

“I stepped in front of Weaver and she immediately struck me with a closed fist on the left side of my face,” the investigating officer wrote.

Weaver then tried to escape but was detained. Shupe said the officer who was punched did not require medical treatment.

Weaver was arrested on suspicion of second-degree assault, fourth-degree arson, resisting arrest and criminal impersonation.

“She’s obviously has mental health issues she’s dealing with,” Shupe said. “We’re working through that process to get her some help.”

jromeo@durangoherald.com