IOWA CITY — An Iowa woman is facing a felony arson charge after authorities say she intentionally set fire to a local residence and was seen laughing as she walked away from the burning structure. Hailee M. Weaver, 31, who has no permanent address, was arrested following a fire that broke out Sunday morning in a residential area.
The Iowa City Fire Department responded to the report of a structure fire at 101 McCollister Boulevard at 8:47 a.m. on April 19, 2026. Firefighters arrived on the scene within five minutes of being dispatched and encountered an active fire with visible smoke. Crews were able to bring the blaze under control within five minutes of their arrival.
According to a police officer affidavit, the incident began earlier that morning when Weaver was at a wooden shack where a resident lives and was asked to leave the premises. Approximately one hour later, the defendant reportedly returned and began banging on objects outside the residence. The two occupants inside the structure soon smelled something burning and, upon investigating, discovered the outside of the building was on fire.
Witnesses, including the residents and neighbors, told police they saw the Iowa woman walking away from the scene and laughing while the structure was engulfed in flames. One occupant managed to safely exit the building before emergency crews arrived but has been displaced by the fire. The victim is currently receiving assistance from the American Red Cross.
There were no reported injuries to civilians or firefighters during the incident.
Following an investigation, Weaver (pictured at top) was taken into custody and charged with one count of first-degree arson, which is classified as a class B felony.
The Iowa City Fire Department was assisted at the scene by the Iowa City Police Department, Johnson County Ambulance Service, Johnson County Joint Emergency Communications Center, and the American Red Cross. As with all criminal cases, the charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.