A Santa Maria man has been booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail on charges of arson and felony vandalism, according to the Santa Maria Police Department.
The booking comes after what police determined to be several related incidents on and around South Broadway in Santa Maria early Tuesday morning.
Officials report that SMPD and the Santa Maria Fire Department responded to a structure fire on the 1900 block of South Broadway at 12:09 a.m. on Tuesday.
Police say the fire was located in a vacant commercial building, and that the fire was extinguished safely after the area was secured.
During the investigation, officials say SMPD officers and a Santa Maria Fire Department Arson Investigator discovered a second fire that had ignited around the same time. It was located behind an occupied convenience store just south of the initial fire and extinguished itself, according to police.
At 2:35 a.m. that same morning, officers say they received reports that a large storefront window had been shattered at a commercial property on the 1600 block of South Broadway.
SMPD reports that, by looking at video surveillance footage, they were able to identify the vandalism suspect as 33-year-old Santa Maria resident Martin Rodriguez.
Officers reportedly found the suspect loitering near the scene of the first fire and arrested him on charges of vandalism.
Rodriguez was booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail on felony vandalism charges, according to SMPD.
Authorities also say they had encountered Rodriguez at the structure fire scene earlier that night, where officers had seen him recording first responders.
After interviewing witnesses, analyzing video surveillance, and investigating the crime scene, SMPD detectives and a Santa Maria Fire Department Arson Investigator reportedly had probable cause to arrest the suspect for both incidents of arson.
On Wednesday, SMPD says Rodriguez, who was already in custody for vandalism, was booked on additional arson charges.
Police say anyone with information on this case or other investigations is encouraged to call Detective Servin at (805) 928–3781, ext. 1367. Community members can also call SMPD's anonymous tip line 24/7 at (805) 928–3781, ext. 2677.
