Homeless man charged with arson in string of Santa Monica fires

Several charges of arson were filed against a homeless man in connection with a string of small fires set in Santa Monica.

John Dean Thomason, 51, was arrested Sunday by detectives investigating a series of arson fires set across Santa Monica since the end of August.

The fires started popping up on Aug. 27, with a pair of blazes set behind St. Augustine Church and St. Peter Coptic Church on 4th Street, and another behind Dog PPL, a canine social club, on 5th Street. On Sept. 1, two more fires were set behind business on 12th Street, and the next day, two more were reported on 6th Street and Silvercrest Senior Citizen Apartments on 5th Street.

The fires were contained to the dumpsters and firefighters were able to keep flames from spreading to nearby buildings.  

Santa Monica police officials say they linked Thomason to the fires through evidence and video surveillance footage. According to Detective Hector Tavera, seven dumpsters were damaged by the fires. 

The cost of replacing each damaged dumpster is about $1,000, Santa Monica police spokesman Lt. Rudy Flores said.

Thomason has been charged with seven counts of arson. He is being held on $350,000 bail and is scheduled to make his next court appearance on Oct. 19.