Following a fire along Bob Jones Trail on Sept. 8, a suspect has been taken into custody for allegedly purposefully starting the fire.
Bob Jones Trail is a bike path located north of Los Osos Valley Road. The fire spread onto city property and damaged vehicles nearby.
The San Luis Obispo Police Department was able to locate and detain a suspect, John Rorabough, a 38-year old resident of San Luis Obispo.
During the fire control efforts, the San Luis Obispo Fire Department asked for the help of the SLOPD due to suspicious circumstances of the blaze.
With the help of the California Fish and Wildlife Department and San Luis Obispo County, SLOPD initially located and detained a different suspect who was later released. Further investigation led them to Rorabough, a frequenter of the area who is known to be unhoused according to SLOPD.
Rorabough was put into San Luis Obispo County Jail for California Penal Code section 451(c) for arson of a structure or forest land and Penal Code section 451(d), arson of property. These are both felony offenses.
It is unknown if the affected area of the trail is currently accessible. SLOPD is currently withholding comment regarding the investigation.
This is an ongoing story, more updates from Mustang News will follow.