SALT LAKE COUNTY, Utah, Jan. 1, 2025 (Gephardt Daily) — A 40-year-old woman was arrested early Tuesday morning after Unified Police officials say she allegedly attempted arson and assaulted an officer.
A complainant advised police that Jessica Beth Stevens had arrest warrants, was on probation, had mental health issues, and had shut herself into a furnace room to avoid apprehension, says an arrest document filed by a UPD officer.
Stevens “then entered the crawl space under the house to further avoid apprehension,” her probable cause statement says. She “then disrobed to fit between the wooden rafters to avoid officers. She continued to move under the crawl space then began throwing cement rocks at officers.”
The affidavit says Stevens “was told to stop several times by officers who positively identified themselves.”
Stevens “then piled small articles and used a lighter to try and light the articles on fire,” the statement says. She “was Tased to stop her from lighting fire to the pile.
“(She) grabbed the lighter again, trying to light the wooden rafters on fire.” She was Tased a second time, which stopped her actions, the arrest document says. “She then continued to move away from officers to a point under the house which was inaccessible. Additional officers responded who were able to fit between the rafters and apprehended (Stevens), who was taken out and detained.”
Stevens was taken into custody, evaluated at an area hospital due to the Tasings, then arrested for investigation of alleged:
- Two counts of attempted arson, property of another, endangers human life, a third-degree felony
- Assault on a peace officer in uniform, a class A misdemeanor
- Obstruction of justice, a class A misdemeanor
- Failure to stop at command of law enforcement, a class A misdemeanor
Stevens was booked into the Salt Lake County jail system and ordered held without bail. She had a previous charge, filed three days earlier, for fleeing from officers in a vehicle, the arrest document says.
