Arson suspect arrested in North Bay trail fires

SANTA ROSA, Calif. (KTVU, BCN) - A 51-year-old homeless man has been arrested in connection with a series of arsons along North Bay trails last month.

Santa Rosa police and Sonoma County sheriff's deputies said Domingo Bautista-Bautista was arrested on Monday after a witness identified him as the suspect in a photo lineup.

There were four suspicious fires along the West County Regional Trail near Occidental Road in Graton on June 14 and 13 small fires along the Santa Rosa Creek Trail near Dutton Avenue in Santa Rosa on June 16, police and sheriff's officials said in a joint agency news release on Tuesday.

With the North Bay fire disaster last October still fresh on the minds of many residents in the area, people said it was especially upsetting for someone to be so reckless and malicious. 

Bautista was arrested on suspicion of two felony arson counts and violation of his probation. 

Investigators said it does not appear he is responsible for any other fires in the region.

He's being held in Sonoma County Jail and is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday afternoon in Sonoma County Superior Court.

The investigation is ongoing and authorities are asking anyone with information about the case to contact the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office at (707) 565-2185 or Santa Rosa police at (707) 543-3575.