Bizarre Elsinore Burglary, Arson Prompt Police, Fire Response

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — A Perris man is behind bars Tuesday, accused of a bizarre series of events that included breaking into a Lake Elsinore business to burglarize the place and then lighting fires inside.

Riverside County officials say that they were called to the 2400 Block of East Lakeshore Avenue around 8 a.m. Monday for a "commercial burglary occurring at a business."

"Officers arrived and found the business was forcibly broken into and located a suspect inside," police said in a news release. "The suspect was hiding in the attic of the building and was starting fires."

Police officers said they tried to arrest the man, identified as 46-year-old Jodie Meza. However, he "refused and attempted to hang himself."

Law enforcement rushed to rescue Meza, took him out of the attic and firefighters doused the blaze, sheriff's officials said. Then, while he was being detained, Meza allegedly attacked an officer.

Meza was treated at an area hospital and then taken to the Cois Byrd Detention Center in French Valley, the sheriff's department said. He was booked on suspicion of commercial burglary, arson, and resisting a peace officer, records show. His bail was set at $55,000.

Anyone with information related to the incident was asked to call Officer Foster at Riverside County Sheriff’s dispatch at (951) 776-1099, or the Lake Elsinore Police Department at (951) 245-3300.

— Patch file photo by Renee Schiavone