MERCED – Police arrested a suspect for starting multiple fires within the same area Monday May 18th.
The fires happened in the Unit block of West 16th Street and in the 100 block of West 16th Street.
At around 11:56 pm a Merced Police Department Officer located a dumpster fire and while investigating, he located another dumpster fire nearby. Both fires were near businesses.
Moments later, police received a call from a witness stating a suspicious person was attempting to start a fire.
33 year old Jeremy Paul Garcia was located after leaving the area. He admitted to staring the fires and was booked into the Merced County jail for two counts of Arson, one count of attempted Arson, and resisting arrest.
Anyone with information regarding the fires is encouraged to contact the Merced Police department at 385-6912.