Suspects Arrested In Pittsburg, Clayton Weekend Arsons
CONCORD (CBS SF) -- Contra Costa County Fire arson investigators have arrested a pair of suspects in the wake of two intentionally set blazes in Pittsburg and Clayton over the weekend, authorities announced Tuesday.
According to the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, Dennis Wolfenbarger, a 42-year-old Oakley resident, was in custody after Con Fire and Pittsburg police were dispatched to investigate reports of a person illegally turning on fire hydrants Saturday in the 3700 block of Railroad Ave.
Upon arrival, Wolfenbarger informed the first responders that he had set a fire in an unoccupied nearby business. Firefighters were able to remove a small metal container with burning material before damage to the structure occurred.
Wolfenbarger has been charged with arson and tampering with the fire hydrants.
On Friday, Con Fire firefighters responded to an exterior structure fire at 1500 Kirker Pass Road in Clayton. The fire was a large debris fire at the rear door of a business, which damaged the exterior and extended into the interior of the structure.
Video surveillance obtained by investigators showed an adult white male, wearing a black jacket, black pants and a red t-shirt in the area at the time of the incident. The suspect, later identified as Kevin Cooper, was seen constructing a fire, placing cardboard and wood on it to make it larger.
Cooper was seen in the video immediately leaving the area as the fire burned, but later walked into the Concord police department.
While being interviewed by fire investigators, Cooper admitted being in the area at the time of the fire. The 57-year-old Concord resident was the placed under arrest and booked into jail for arson.