CAL FIRE Law Enforcement Officers arrested Jose Pimentel Xavier, 38, of Tracy Monday on arson charges for allegedly setting wildland fires in the unincorporated area of East Contra Costa County. Xavier has been booked into the Contra Costa County Jail.
For several weeks now, the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District has been responding to fires along Camino Diablo near Walnut Blvd. in what seemed to be a daily occurrence. Several other fires popped up along Marsh Creek Road and Vasco. The largest of the suspected fire occurred n Oct. 12 (photo above), where crews dealt with a 17-acre fire where they were on scene for nearly 3-hours and 30-minutes.
Official Press Release
Morgan Hill – CAL FIRE Law Enforcement Officers arrested Jose Pimentel Xavier, 38, of Tracy today on arson charges for allegedly setting wildland fires in the unincorporated area of East Contra Costa County. Xavier has been booked into the Contra Costa County Jail. The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s office will be the contact for any request for additional information regarding the investigation and arrest.
CAL FIRE law enforcement officers work diligently in arson cases to aggressively investigate and prosecute those suspected of intentionally starting fires. Numerous agencies assisted in this investigation and arrest including the Contra Costa County Fire Investigation Unit, East Contra Costa Fire Protection District Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Department, Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office, Brentwood Police Department, Tracy Police Department and the California Highway Patrol.
“It takes a team working together to investigate arrest and prosecute an arsonist,” stated CAL FIRE Unit Chief Derek Witmer. “We appreciate the support of our cooperators at the Contra Costa County Fire Investigation Unit including East Contra Costa Fire Department, Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office, Contra Costa County Sheriff, Brentwood Police Department, Tracy Police Department and California Highway Patrol for their commitment to this investigation and to protecting the citizens of California.”
Arson is a major threat to both life and property. Residents should be vigilant in their preparedness and aware of suspicious persons when a fire does start. If you witness someone suspicious make note of the time, his or her physical description, as well as any vehicle description, including the license plate number. Always contact law enforcement, never approach a suspicious person. Anyone with information about arson is urged to contact the CAL FIRE Arson Hotline at 1-800-468-4408 or their local law enforcement agency.
CAL FIRE Arrests East Bay Arson Suspect
