Community
Petaluma PD and Petaluma Fire Investigate Three Fires
Fire Department, 198 D Street, Petaluma, CA 94952
(707) 778-4390 / Fax (707) 931-0668 / E-mail: [email protected]
Police Department, 969 Petaluma Blvd North, Petaluma, CA 94954
(707) 778-4372 / Fax (707) 778-4502 / E-mail: [email protected]
In a span of less than a week, staff from the Petaluma Police Department and Petaluma Fire Department jointly investigated three fires. Details about each of those fires have been documented below.
On October 7th at 4:46 am, Petaluma Police Department and Petaluma Fire Department responded to a fire of the portable toilet that was near the soccer field at Lucchesi Park. The fire consumed the portable toilet and threatened a nearby shipping container with property belonging to the Petaluma Youth Soccer League. Petaluma Fire Department contained the fire with some damage to the contents of the shipping container. The Petaluma Police Department and the Petaluma Fire Prevention Bureau are investigating this as an arson pursuant to Penal Code section 451.
On October 11th at 1:47 am, police and fire were dispatched to a report of a structure fire on Maria Drive. Initial reports indicated visible flames from across the street. Fire crews arrived on the scene in under five minutes and found the maintenance building for the City of Petaluma Parks Department fully engulfed in flames. The first arriving engine immediately initiated fire suppression efforts, successfully preventing the fire from spreading to nearby buildings and vegetation. The Petaluma Fire Prevention Bureau responded, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
On October 11th at 10:03 pm, police and fire were dispatched to a third fire that was reported near the Lynch Creek Trail. Officers arrived on scene and were directed to a remote area just north of the Lynch Creek Trail and west of Highway 101. A witness reported the male subject responsible for igniting the fire was in the field armed with a machete.
With the subject possibly being armed, an officer on scene quickly deployed his department drone providing the exact location of the subject and real time updates to responding officers.
With the assistance of the drone, officers located a male subject (Alexander Gasparyan, 33-year-old Petaluma resident) near an extinguished fire. A sword was located within reaching distance of Gasparyan as he was detained without incident. It was later determined witnesses had extinguished fire prior to officers’ arrival. After completing their investigation, which included speaking to Gasparyan and several witnesses, officers determined Gasparyan was responsible for igniting the small vegetation fire. Gasparyan was arrested for ‘reckless burning’ (452- PC) which is a felony. It is unknown what motivated Gasparyan to start the fire.
The investigations into all three of the above-described incidents are considered active and ongoing. The Petaluma Police Department and the Petaluma Fire Department will continue to work closely to determine if/how each of these fires could be related. We will be conducting joint investigations relying on Petaluma Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Bureau for experience with fire science and Petaluma PD’s familiarity with crime scene investigation and familiarity with preparing investigations for prosecution in the Sonoma County Courts. If anyone has additional information or witnessed the incident(s), please call Detective Alyssa Hansen at (707) 781-1291.
In addition to the fires, the Petaluma Police Department is investigating an assault with a deadly weapon that occurred near the fires and Lynch Creek Trail. It is unknown if the fires and assault are connected; however, the police department continues to investigate this matter and will provide increased patrols of the area.
We are proud of the work of our first responders and are thankful no one was injured. The Petaluma Police Department and Petaluma Fire Department would like to thank our Community Members who continue to call in suspicious activity helping ensure the safety of the public. We encourage people to call the police department when witnessing suspicious activity. Please call the main phone number, which is (707) 778-4373. DIAL 911, only if the crime is life threatening or there is imminent danger of violence.
Petaluma PD and Petaluma Fire Investigate Three Fires 
City of Petaluma, California
Press Release
Fire Department, 198 D Street, Petaluma, CA 94952
(707) 778-4390 / Fax (707) 931-0668 / E-mail: [email protected]
Police Department, 969 Petaluma Blvd North, Petaluma, CA 94954
(707) 778-4372 / Fax (707) 778-4502 / E-mail: [email protected]
In a span of less than a week, staff from the Petaluma Police Department and Petaluma Fire Department jointly investigated three fires. Details about each of those fires have been documented below.
On October 7th at 4:46 am, Petaluma Police Department and Petaluma Fire Department responded to a fire of the portable toilet that was near the soccer field at Lucchesi Park. The fire consumed the portable toilet and threatened a nearby shipping container with property belonging to the Petaluma Youth Soccer League. Petaluma Fire Department contained the fire with some damage to the contents of the shipping container. The Petaluma Police Department and the Petaluma Fire Prevention Bureau are investigating this as an arson pursuant to Penal Code section 451.
On October 11th at 1:47 am, police and fire were dispatched to a report of a structure fire on Maria Drive. Initial reports indicated visible flames from across the street. Fire crews arrived on the scene in under five minutes and found the maintenance building for the City of Petaluma Parks Department fully engulfed in flames. The first arriving engine immediately initiated fire suppression efforts, successfully preventing the fire from spreading to nearby buildings and vegetation. The Petaluma Fire Prevention Bureau responded, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
On October 11th at 10:03 pm, police and fire were dispatched to a third fire that was reported near the Lynch Creek Trail. Officers arrived on scene and were directed to a remote area just north of the Lynch Creek Trail and west of Highway 101. A witness reported the male subject responsible for igniting the fire was in the field armed with a machete.
With the subject possibly being armed, an officer on scene quickly deployed his department drone providing the exact location of the subject and real time updates to responding officers.
With the assistance of the drone, officers located a male subject (Alexander Gasparyan, 33-year-old Petaluma resident) near an extinguished fire. A sword was located within reaching distance of Gasparyan as he was detained without incident. It was later determined witnesses had extinguished fire prior to officers’ arrival. After completing their investigation, which included speaking to Gasparyan and several witnesses, officers determined Gasparyan was responsible for igniting the small vegetation fire. Gasparyan was arrested for ‘reckless burning’ (452- PC) which is a felony. It is unknown what motivated Gasparyan to start the fire.
The investigations into all three of the above-described incidents are considered active and ongoing. The Petaluma Police Department and the Petaluma Fire Department will continue to work closely to determine if/how each of these fires could be related. We will be conducting joint investigations relying on Petaluma Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Bureau for experience with fire science and Petaluma PD’s familiarity with crime scene investigation and familiarity with preparing investigations for prosecution in the Sonoma County Courts. If anyone has additional information or witnessed the incident(s), please call Detective Alyssa Hansen at (707) 781-1291.
In addition to the fires, the Petaluma Police Department is investigating an assault with a deadly weapon that occurred near the fires and Lynch Creek Trail. It is unknown if the fires and assault are connected; however, the police department continues to investigate this matter and will provide increased patrols of the area.
We are proud of the work of our first responders and are thankful no one was injured. The Petaluma Police Department and Petaluma Fire Department would like to thank our Community Members who continue to call in suspicious activity helping ensure the safety of the public. We encourage people to call the police department when witnessing suspicious activity. Please call the main phone number, which is (707) 778-4373. DIAL 911, only if the crime is life threatening or there is imminent danger of violence.
Address/Location
Petaluma Police Department
969 Petaluma Blvd N
Petaluma, CA 94952
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 707-778-4372
TEXT-A-TIP - Text TIP PETPD followed by your message, to 888777
