On Monday, March 29th, 2021, at approximately 8:10 pm, the Turlock Fire Department received a call of a trash can on fire at Columbia Park located at 595 High St. Squad 32 was dispatched.
Squad 32 arrived on scene a few minutes later to find the fire still burning and extinguished it. The Turlock Police Department also responded to investigate and take a report.
About two hours later, at approximately 10:15 pm, the Turlock Fire Department received a call of a porta-potty on fire in the 500 block of Jason Dr. Squad 32 was dispatched.
Squad 32 arrived on scene a few minutes later to find the porta-potty fully involved. The fire was extinguished and the Turlock Police Department responded again to investigate and take a report.
About 15 minutes later, at approximately 10:30 pm, the Turlock Fire Department received a call of a dumpster on fire next to Golden Valley Health Center located at 1200 W Main St. Squad 32 was dispatched.
Squad 32 arrived on scene a few minutes later to find the dumpster fully involved. The fire was extinguished and the Turlock Police Department responded again to investigate and take a report.
The next day, on Tuesday, March 30th, 2021, at approximately 10:30 pm, the Turlock Fire Department received a call of a small fire along the railroad tracks between West Ave S and S Soderquist Rd. Squad 32 was dispatched.
Squad 32 had a hard time finding the fire originally, however, was later flagged down by the caller and directed to it. Squad 32 personnel found a small pile of smoldering embers with a male standing next to them. The male matched the description of the person seen lighting the fires from the night before in the same area. The Turlock Police Department responded to investigate.
Officers made contact with a witness from one of the previous fires and asked if they could positively identify the subject they were out with as the subject who set the fire they saw, which they did. Officers developed probable cause that a crime was committed and placed the subject they were out with, who was identified as Junior Robles, 31, of Turlock, under arrest for arson.
