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Arrest in Santa Rosa church break-in, arson

Published: Sunday, July 4, 2010 at 4:15 p.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, July 4, 2010 at 4:15 p.m.

A Santa Rosa man who police said broke into a Catholic church Saturday night and started a fire, was arrested after holding officers at bay for several hours,

Antonio Luevano, 22, was arrested on suspicion of felony vandalism, felony vandalism of a religious property and arson. He was being held Sunday on $10,000 bail.

Police said that Luevano was found inside the Resurrection Parish church at 7:50 p.m. by officers responding to a burglary alarm.

Luevano had a knife, refused to cooperate with officers and barricaded himself inside the church, police said.

While the hostage negotiations team was trying to get Luevano to surrender, police said they could hear property being destroyed and Luevano also tried to start a fire inside the church.

He was subdued by officers using a Taser and taken into custody.

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