Investigators search for arson suspect following series of fires in Contra Costa County

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, Calif. (KRON) -- In the East Bay, investigators are searching for an arson suspect after a series of fires along Highway 4. Contra Costa County Fire Protection District says at least one witness provided a description of the suspect.

Con Fire and the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office are searching for an arson suspect after they say at least two fires were intentionally set along Hwy 4 at Willow Pass Road near Concord Sunday morning.

Car catches fire on Hwy 4 near Pittsburg

Based on the description from a witness at The Bay Church just off Hwy 4, the witness described the individual setting the fire as a Hispanic male, either late teens or early 20s in a white t-shirt, gray sweatpants, and a yellow backpack.

Chris Bachman with Con Fire says investigators found a suspect matching the description but were unable to arrest him.

Investigators and the sheriff's office were pursuing the lead. They did see him go off over the hill, but they said he disappeared into a neighborhood -- unable able to locate him.

Bachman says both fires were contained to less than an acre each. Meanwhile, Con Fire responded to another fire Sunday morning along Hwy 4, but Bachman says that fire was caused by someone cooking at a homeless encampment nearby.

This all comes after seven fires were allegedly set near I-680 at Pacheco Boulevard in Martinez earlier this month. Bachman says con fire and the sheriff's office made four arson arrests last weekend, and another arrest at a dumpster fire earlier this week.

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"We've had a really good track record of making arrests throughout the year," Bachman said. "Last year, we made approximately 50 arrests with arson fires that occurred in and around our district, so we're off to another busy season and thanks to our full-time investigators. We've been very successful in making arrests again this year."

If you have any information about the suspect associated with Sunday's fires near Highway 4 and Willow Pass Road, you can reach investigators at 1-866-50-ARSON.

from KRON4 https://ift.tt/5Akc0pC