(KRON) — A man suspected of starting around a dozen fires that burned 19 vehicles in San Jose last month was arrested, police announced Monday. The alleged serial arsonist was identified as 30-year-old Jose Rodriguez-Barragan.
Rodriguez-Barragan, according to the San Jose Police Department, is believed to have started five fires on Jan. 21 and six fires on Jan. 27. The Jan. 21 fires damaged nine vehicles near Highway 87 and West San Carlos Street. Nearly a dozen more vehicles were torched in the Jan. 27 fires along the Highway 87 corridor.
Detectives are working to determine if Rodriguez-Barragan is connected to additional arsons. Last week, San Jose Fire Department officials said there have been 24 incendiary vehicle fires in the city since Dec. 18.
Police identified Rodriguez-Barragan, who is an unhoused San Jose resident, as the primary suspect after reviewing surveillance footage, canvassing locations and interviewing victims and witnesses, SJPD said. He was taken into custody on Friday and booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail for arson, drug charges and outstanding warrants…