Arrest After String of South Bay Car Arsons: San Jose Fire Captain

An arrest had been made in connection following a string of three overnight car fires in the South Bay, which could be linked to as many as eight in the last week, which started days before Christmas.

The arrest was made overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday, San Jose Fire Capt. Christopher Salcido told NBC Bay Area on Wednesday.

He would not provide any more details, other than that the man was being interviewed by San Jose police regarding "one of the arson car fires yesterday" after he was identified at the scene. Salcido said the man was being questioned regarding the other fires by San Jose police and arson fire investigators to "determine if there was a connection" to the other seven car fires first reported on Dec. 22.

San Jose police did not immediately respond for comment.

No one has been injured in the string of fires spanning from San Jose to Campbell, where the cars were typically broken into and then set ablaze.

The latest car arson was reported sometime after 8 p.m. Tuesday in the 1900 block of Willow Street. That car fire came less than an hour after two cars caught fire within 50 feet of each other along the 1200 block of Caspian Sea Drive, just off Southwest Expressway in San Jose and a quarter-mile away.

James Slayden said when he went out to his car Tuesday night, he found it with shattered glass and a torched interior.

β€œI was just devastated," he said. "I was like, 'Oh no.' I had just came back from a trip in LA being with my mom for a couple weeks over Christmas, and I was just horrified"

It was not just his car that was torched. His neighbor's Jeep was also set on fire.

A neighbor, who identified himself as Andrew B, said he saw the suspect.

"He was standing right here, and he had his hands on the car," Andrew B said.

Andrew said the suspect used a rock to break in.

"I called out to him, 'what are you doing near my vehicle?' and he looked back at me. When I came out to confront him, he started taking off running down the road," Andrew said.

Andrew said he chased the suspect a short distance then stopped. That is when he noticed the interior of the Jeep was on fire.

Andrew said he then sprang into action, using a bucket of water to put out the flames. Then, he quickly moved to his neighbor's SUV which was engulfed in flames.

"I was just pouring the water all over the flames right here, and by the time I was out of water, my brother was coming around with a fire extinguisher,” Andrew said.

On Monday evening, three car fires were reported in Campbell, including one in the 2100 block of South Bascom Avenue. Campbell Police Capt. Gary Berg told NBC Bay Area on Wednesday that his department has not made any arrests.

The first car fire was reported before midnight Dec. 22 in the 1500 block of South Bascom Avenue. Then, 20 minutes later car fire was reported a mile away near Leigh Avenue and Stokes Street.

Anyone with information about the case should call San Jose fire investigators at 1-408-27-ARSON.

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