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Lakeport man arrested for setting Upper Lake fire
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Sunday Lake County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a Lakeport man who a witness said set a small vegetation fire near Upper Lake.
Baraquiel Simon Ruiz, 33, was taken into custody in the case, according to Lt. Corey Paulich.
At 6:50 p.m. Sunday, deputies responded to the 6600 block of Westlake Road in Upper Lake for a reported arson. Paulich said a witness reported observing a male starting a fire in the area.
When deputies arrived, they contacted the witness, who told them he saw a male lighting a fire on the side of the road that was approximately a 5-foot by 5-foot area, Paulich said.
Paulich said the witness yelled at the subject to stop and the subject started to stomp out the fire. Once the fire was mostly out, the male subject who set it left the area toward Highway 29. The witness was able to capture the subject on video using his cell phone.
The deputies searched the area, locating a male subject identified as Ruiz, who matched the description provided by the witness, Paulich said.
The deputies conducted an in-field line up and the witness identified Ruiz as the individual who set the fire. Paulich said Ruiz admitted to starting the fire to burn some trash. He could not provide a reason why he was burning trash on the side of the road.
The fire ultimately burned a 10-foot by 10-foot grassy area, Paulich said.
Fire personnel reported there had been a separate fire in the same area around 2 p.m. that day. Paulich said it is unknown at this time if Ruiz was responsible for that fire.
Ruiz was placed under arrest at 8 p.m. Sunday and booked at the Lake County Jail for arson, according to jail records. He remained in custody on Tuesday with bail set at $250,000.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation or the fire earlier in the day is asked to contact the Lake County Sheriff’s Office at 707-262-4200.