Woman accused of torching Merced building, chasing man down the street with a knife

A woman was arrested on Sunday for allegedly chasing a victim with a knife before setting a building on fire in Merced, according to authorities.

At about 12:05 p.m., officers responded to the 100 block of West Main Street for a report of a woman chasing a man down the street with a knife, according to a Merced Police Department news release.

Officers located the victim, a 53-year-old male, at the corner of H Street and West Main Street. While speaking with the victim, officers observed smoke coming from the windows and roof of a vacant apartment building located at 1724 H St., according to police.

While conducting a safety check on the building, the officers located the suspect, identified as 41-year-old Amanda Collins, standing in the doorway. Police took Collins into custody and said she admitted to starting the fire.

Police said the victim identified Collins as the person who was chasing him with the knife. The Merced Fire Department responded to the scene and extinguished the fire, according to the release.

A motive for the incidents remained unclear Monday.

According to Merced Police Department Lt. Emily Foster, it doesn’t appear the victim and suspect knew each other before the incident. Foster said it appears “just prior to the incident, the two parties were involved in a verbal altercation.”

No injuries were reported, according to police.

Collins was booked into the Merced County Jail on suspicion of arson, terrorist threats, trespassing, and brandishing a weapon, police said.