Portales woman charged with arson

A Portales woman is charged with arson following a house fire Wednesday night.

Court records show Patricia Villanueva, 43, is accused of willfully starting a fire or causing an explosion that destroyed a home at 725 N. Ave. M in Portales. Damage was estimated at more than $20,000.

Witnesses told authorities they saw a vehicle identified as belonging to Villanueva leave the scene of the fire “at a high rate of speed” immediately after the trailer house caught fire.

Records show Villanueva lived at the home, along with a man who was out of town working when the house burned.

A fire marshal determined the trailer house fire was set intentionally, court records show.

Villanueva was being held in the Roosevelt County detention center on Friday.