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Woman's troubles widen

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Wednesday, June 24, 2015 5:30 PM

Accused in March of attacking a roommate with a baseball bat, a Dolores woman has now been accused of a scheme to torch the victim's home.

The alleged victim claims her 53-year-old attacker attempted to burn down her Central Avenue residence in Dolores by tampering with an electrical panel.

The woman was alleged to have intentionally damaged a screw holding a circuit breaker in place sometime before May 25. The unproven incident was reported on June 8.

In a three-page report, Montezuma County Sheriff's deputy Tisha Strawn noted that the head of the screw had a black burn mark.

Asked why someone would try to cause a fire by tampering with the screw, the alleged victim told authorities that her ex-husband was an electrician and the burned screw wasn't common.

The woman also claimed that wires leading to the screw were clean compared with others in the electrical panel.

Previously called to the scene, an electrician told authorities that he believed recent rains were responsible for electrical issues inside the residence. The electrician said he had three similar house calls pending.

"(The electrician) did not see any signs of tampering with the wiring," Strawn wrote.

No additional charges were filed against the suspect, and Strawn advised the case was now closed.

Initially arrested on March 19, the defendant was charged with assault after she allegedly "went crazy" and attacked her former roommate with a baseball bat.

At that time, the alleged victim also reported damaged and missing property, including a lost rat, valued at more than $850.

Court officials said the assault charges remain pending.

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