Santa Rosa man arrested for fires spakred by illegal fireworks

SANTA ROSA – A Santa Rosa man was arrested Monday following a series of fires last week that police said were sparked by illegal fireworks.

On July 9, firefighters were called to a field southeast of Stony Point and Sebastopol roads. Crews found three small fires burning near an apartment complex and an adjacent business.

The largest fire measured an area estimated to be 30' by 60.' Firefighters were able to bring the fires under control before any structures could be damaged.

Investigators determined that the fire was caused by illegal fireworks.

Authorities also obtained surveillance video of the incident which showed several people in a parking lot. One of the people lit a firework that was not "safe and sane" — those that don't fly or explode — which fell to its side and shot several mortars into a field, sparking multiple small fires.

Police said the person attempted to put out the fires but was unsuccessful. He then fled the scene in his vehicle.

Through the video, officers were able to identify the suspect as 21-year-old Ruben Zamudio-Rodriguez, and detectives began conducting surveillance on him. On Monday afternoon, officers detained him following a traffic stop on Dutton Avenue.

Zamudio-Rodriguez was arrested and booked into the Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of unlawful and reckless causing of a fire.

According to jail records, Zamudio-Rodriguez is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.