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Man arrested on arson charges in Pittsburg
By Matthias Gafni
East County Times
May 13, 2008
An 18-year-old Pittsburg resident was arrested on suspicion of attempting to burn down a woman's house Tuesday morning after the two argued about respect, police said.
Donte Thomas was staying in a house in the 100 block of Corte Linda in Pittsburg with a 30-year-old woman when the two got in an argument late Monday night that led to the woman kicking him out, Pittsburg police Lt. Brian Addington said. Thomas returned to the house around 1:15 a.m. Tuesday, got into another argument with her and started busting out windows with a socket wrench, Addington said.
Thomas allegedly threatened to burn down the woman's house, piled some empty cardboard boxes and shrubbery near the back of the house, and started a fire, Addington said. An officer dispatched to the scene extinguished the fire with his squad car's fire extinguisher, Addington said.
Shortly after 4 a.m., Thomas turned himself in at the Pittsburg Police Department and was arrested on suspicion of arson and vandalism, Addington said. He is being held at the County Jail in Martinez on $250,000 bail, a jail official said.
The woman, who was home alone, was not injured. It was unclear what Thomas' relationship was to the woman. There was no fire damage to the house, Addington said.
Reach Matthias Gafni at 925-779-7174 or mgafni@bayareanewsgroup.com .
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