Arnold, Murphys On The Hunt For Arsonist

Calaveras County investigators are trying to determine who tried to set two Vallecito Union School District vehicles and a homeowner´s association pickup on fire over the weekend.

Deputy Paul Newnam was dispatched to 23 Splash Dam Way in Arnold where a Mill Site Homeowners Association pickup was almost caught afire. Something was spread on the ground and a rag was used to attempt to catch the vehicle´s gas tank on fire, said Calaveras County Sheriff Capt. Mike Walker. The pickup sustained minimal damage.

Other vehicles in the area were damaged and tires were slashed.

At about 9 a.m. Sunday, authorities found that someone had poured an unidentified liquid on the ground near a school bus that was parked at Michelson Elementary School in Murphys, according to a Sheriff´s Department statement. The liquid was on the ground near the bus and drizzled to a spot about 30-35 feet away.

The ground around the liquid had evidence of having been ignited and there was some scorched paper in the vicinity. The suspects used paper to attempt to draw the fire up into the side of the school bus, the sheriff´s office said.

The efforts were unsuccessful and there was no damage to the bus.

Then early Monday morning sheriff´s investigators arrived to find a van at Avery Middle School had been treated in much the same way.

Calaveras Enterprise story by Mike Taylor. For more Calaveras news. click: calaverasenterprise.com