PETALUMA POLICE ARREST MAN IN FIRE BOMBING

A homeless man was arrested over the weekend on suspicion of

tossing a ''fire bomb'' at two men, police said.

Arrested was Michael Joseph Williams, 38, who is also being questioned in

relation to several dumpster fires and alley fires early Sunday morning, Sgt.

DJ Phimister said.

Williams was arrested at about 4:15 p.m. on Sunday after he apparently

tossed a bottle filled with camping stove fuel with a wick over a fence at

Terry Peterson and David Peterson, no relation, both of Petaluma.

The wick was either unlit or failed to remain lit, and the bottle failed to

break when it struck the ground near the Petersons, Phimister said.

Electrician David Peterson had been working on an electrical panel outside

Fourth Street Cutters at 140 Petaluma Blvd. N. that was damaged by a back

porch fire apparently ignited by a bottle with fuel in it.

Williams had walked by pushing a shopping cart and talked to the Petersons

moments earlier, police said. Police searched Williams's shopping cart and

found a can of Coleman fuel and another bottle filled with fuel with paper

stuffed in the open end, Phimister said.

Terry and Ann Peterson, who own the building, said their son apparently

asked Williams to leave the area late Saturday night before the fires started.

Williams was taken to Sonoma County Jail and held in lieu of $10,000 bail

on suspicion of attempted arson, possession of a fire bomb and assault with a

deadly weapon.