Man Arrested on Five Counts of Arson
Allegedly Set Fire to Trash Cans Throughout Carpinteria
Brian Dean Rathbun, 51, was arrested on Sunday and charged with setting fire to a number of trash cans throughout Carpinteria. According to Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Drew Sugars, deputies were dispatched to the small blazes between 5:50 a.m. and 7:14 a.m. Sunday morning at the five following locations:
– Cabo’s Baja Grill and Cantina at 5096 Carpinteria Avenue: Fires set in two outside trash cans. Only damage was to waste bins.
– City Market Center at 5296 Carpinteria Ave: Single fire in trash can. The building suffered smoke damage and an outside vending machine was destroyed.
– Montecito Bank and Trust at 1023 Casitas Pass Road: Single fire in trash can. Only damage was to can.
– McDonald’s at 1115 Casitas Pass Road: Fire set in a trash can inside the bathroom. The building suffered smoke damage.
– am/pm at 1116 Casitas Pass Road Carpinteria: Fire set in a trash can inside one of the building’s bathrooms. The building suffered smoke damage.
After discovering evidence at the am/pm gas station that linked the blazes to Rathbun, deputies tracked him to Carpinteria State Park at around 10 a.m. He was taken into custody and booked into County Jail on five counts of arson. His bail is set at $250,000.
