Santa Rosa homeless man arrested on suspicion of arson in Healdsburg

A man was arrested Sunday night suspected of setting fire to brush in the front yard of a Healdsburg home, according to police.

Healdsburg police officials credit the arrest to the work of “two alert citizens” who not only spotted the suspect near the scene but also helped put out the fire.

Healdsburg Police Sgt. Nick Castaneda said the witnesses, a boyfriend and girlfriend couple, were driving by when they saw a flames in the front yard of a home on the 1100 block of Healdsburg Avenue. The couple stopped and “stomped out” the blaze, said Castaneda, adding that they also took cellphone pictures of the suspect.

Not long after, Healdsburg Fire Department Fire Marshal Lance MacDonald located the suspect about a block away from the home and contacted police.

Castaneda said police then arrested Jaime Silva Pineda, 27, a homeless man from Santa Rosa.

He said Healdsburg police had never had any prior contact with Pineda. But he said Pineda has a prior history of arson outside the city. Castaneda also said the suspect has “mental health issues.”

Pineda was arrested on suspicion of arson and causing a fire at an inhabited dwelling.

You can reach Staff Writer Martin Espinoza at 707-521-5213 or martin.espinoza@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @pressreno.