Police Arrest Suspects In Antioch Arson, Hate Crime
ANTIOCH (CBS SF) -- Police in Antioch on Tuesday announced the arrest of two suspects in connection to an arson attack and hate crime on a victims residence last week.
Early on the morning of September 7, Antioch police and fire received a call regarding a house fire on the 5100 block of McCormick Court.
An investigation into the fire revealed that an unknown party had spray painted a racial slur and a swastika onto an exterior wall of the home in addition to starting the fire by throwing three Molotov cocktails.
A family of 7 was inside the home with children whose ages ranged from 4 to 14. The three adults and four young children escaped unharmed through a back door.
Damage to the home was minor.
Working with Contra Costa County fire investigators, Antioch police quickly developed two suspects in the case.
The day after the incident, police detained and interviewed 27-year-old Antioch resident Roy Charles Sorvari and 25-year-old Brentwood resident Christyne Gail McDaniel. They were later arrested.
Authorities said they believe a dispute between one of the people who lived at the Antioch home in the attack and a relative of McDaniel led to the arson attack and hate-crime vandalism. Police said the attack appears to be an isolated incident.
On Tuesday, the case was presented to the Contra Costa County District Attorneys Office. Both Sorvari and McDaniel were subsequently charged with conspiracy to commit murder, mayhem, torture, assault with a deadly weapon as well as arson with hate crimes enhancements.
The two suspects are being held in the Contra Costa County Jail with bail set at $1,290,000.
