Berkeley Animal Shelter arson: arrest made
Peter Taraba was arrested Thursday morning on suspicion of more than 40 counts of animal cruelty, police said.
Berkeley police have made an arrest following an arson investigation that began at the animal shelter over the weekend.
Police arrested Peter Taraba, 48, Thursday morning on suspicion of more than 40 counts of animal cruelty: one for each animal in the shelter at the time of the fire, BPD said in response to a Scanner inquiry.
Authorities are also looking into whether Taraba had something to do with flooding in the building last night, said Officer Byron White, BPD spokesman.
Police and firefighters initially responded to the animal shelter Saturday night after the burglar alarm and sprinkler system went off.
The fire, in the first-floor donation collection area, was confined to the building stairwell, but there was also significant smoke damage, authorities said.
According to Berkeley police, surveillance footage showed a man use a rock to break a window Saturday night and then ignite the fire with "an improvised incendiary device."
Police said they identified Taraba, a local homeless man, after he returned to the area at some point after the fire.
No animals were hurt in the blaze but the fire has closed the shelter for an indeterminate amount of time.
In addition to the fire, police say someone "jumped the fence" and opened a faucet outside the shelter, sometime between 5:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday morning, flooding the inside of the building.
Peter Taraba. BPD
Police arrested Taraba in downtown Berkeley shortly before 8 a.m. Thursday.
He was arrested on suspicion of arson and animal cruelty, police said.
Taraba is now being held on $670,000 bail at Santa Rita Jail and is scheduled for arraignment Monday.
Stay tuned for updates.
