Homeless man suspected of setting fire to FedEx truck in Petaluma

When interviewed by police, the man said he was in the area of the truck fire but didn’t remember what happened.|
J.D. MORRIS
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

A 37-year old homeless man was arrested Thursday in Santa Rosa on suspicion of lighting a FedEx truck on fire in Petaluma, police said.

About 2:09 a.m. Wednesday, Petaluma firefighters and police officers found the truck fully engulfed in flames in the parking lot of FedEx Freight on North McDowell Boulevard. Authorities determined the truck was intentionally set ablaze and it was completely destroyed, causing a loss of more than $50,000, according to the Petaluma Police Department.

Police officers found Chilico Hart in the area, but they had no information about a possible suspect at the time, so they released him, Petaluma Police said in a statement.

FedEx surveillance video reviewed by officers the next day revealed Hart was inside the truck just before it was set on fire, police said. He was also seen fleeing the area as law enforcement arrived, according to police.

Upon matching the surveillance footage with officers’ body-camera video, police confirmed Hart was a suspect and arrested him later Thursday after he was found in Santa Rosa by Santa Rosa officers. Hart said he was in the area of the truck fire but said he didn’t remember what happened, Petaluma police said.

He was arrested on suspicion of arson and booked into Sonoma County Jail, with bail set at $10,000.

You can reach Staff Writer J.D. Morris at 707-521-5337 or jd.morris@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @thejdmorris.

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