San Bernardino Man Arrested In Arson Spree That Included 670-Acre Mart Fire
SAN BERNARDINO (CBSLA.com) – A San Bernardino man has been arrested in a string of arsons in the Highland area, including one this summer that threatened dozens of homes on its way to scorching 670 acres.
Peter Granados, 38, was taken into custody Wednesday at his residence in the 2900 block of Park Avenue on arson charges in connection with eight fires that occurred between July 2016 and July 2017, San Bernardino police and the San Bernardino County Fire Department said in a joint news release Thursday.
All eight fires were set in trash bins or wooded areas in the vicinity of Highland and Sterling avenues, police said.
The most notable blaze, the Mart Fire -- named such because of its proximity to a Walmart store -- sparked on June 27 and burned 670 acres near Highway 330 and Highland Avenue. It forced mandatory evacuations and took several hundred firefighters about four days to bring under control. No homes were destroyed in the blaze.
Witnesses helped police and fire investigators identify Granados as the suspect. Evidence was also found at his home, police said.
Following his arrest, Granados reportedly confessed to setting all eight fires, police disclosed.
A news conference was scheduled for Thursday afternoon. Granados is being held in the West Valley Detention Center on $275,000 bail.
