Arson suspect repeatedly targeted elderly woman’s Santa Rosa home: police

(KRON) – A 29-year-old transient from Santa Rosa was arrested Tuesday in connection with five arson incidents over the past two months, according to the Santa Rosa Police Department. Three of the fires involved the occupied residence of an elderly woman.

Police said Heriberto Soliz-Olivarez intentionally set fires to structures, garage doors and fences between March 24 and May 20. He was booked into Sonoma County Jail for five counts of arson of an inhabited structure or property.

The investigation began on March 24 after a fence attached to a residence in the 1100 block of Exeter Drive was set on fire by an unknown person, later identified as Soliz-Olivarez, according to Santa Rosa PD. On the night of April 30, Soliz-Olivarez allegedly used lighter fluid to ignite the corner of the same residence. The April 30 fire caused “significant damage” to the home’s exterior before being extinguished by a neighbor, police said.

On the 800 block of Warren Lane, the residence of an 86-year-old woman was targeted three times beginning on April 21, according to SRPD. In that incident, Soliz-Olivarez allegedly sprayed lighter fluid on a wooden fence and lit it on fire. On May 16, a detached garage’s wooden door was partially ignited at the residence.

On May 20, a security camera at the Warren residence captured Soliz-Olivarez pouring suspected lighter fluid on the garage door before lighting it on fire, police said. After the fire fizzled out, SRPD said Soliz-Olivarez returned to ignite it a second time. The fire continued to burn for another 20 minutes before firefighters arrived to extinguish the flames.

One detective investigating the fires recognized the suspect caught on camera as Soliz-Olivarez due to “numerous” prior police contacts, SRPD said.

Detectives located and arrested Soliz-Olivarez on Tuesday at Finley Park on 2060 West College Avenue.

“The residents of the homes on Exeter Drive and Warren Lane do not appear to have any connection to Soliz-Olivarez, and detectives are attempting to determine why Soliz-Olivarez targeted these specific homes,” police said. “Fortunately, no one was injured in any of these fires.”

Bail was set at $575,000.