TURLOCK, Calif — A destructive fire happened after a prior domestic violence incident in Turlock, police said.
The fire along Colorado Avenue damaged eight cars, a carport and two apartments Sunday night. Six people were displaced. According to Turlock Fire Department, the cause of the fire was arson.
Turlock police arrested the man they said was responsible for the blaze, 32-year-old Santiago Ojeda Astruga, within two hours of the crime happening.
According to police, he and an unnamed victim were in a domestic violence incident early Sunday morning that wasn't initially reported.
Later, just after 10 p.m., firefighters responded to a fire. Police initially responded to help with traffic control, but were flagged down by people who lived there. They said the fire started under their car.
As police continued their investigation, they learned the car belonged to a relative of the domestic violence victim. Police said Astruga went to the apartment looking for the unnamed victim but left when he couldn't find them. The fire started about 30 minutes after he left.
Police said Astruga allegedly threatened to burn the relative's car and home. Police eventually confirmed Astruga as a suspect when the unnamed victim arrived and reported the prior domestic violence incident.
Police later found Astruga and arrested him after he allegedly tried and failed to run away. He was taken into custody on suspicion of domestic violence and 11 counts of arson-related charges.
