Police Nab Suspected Peninsula RV Arsonist

PALO ALTO - Police arrested a 31-year-old East Palo Alto woman on suspicion of arson after a witness reported seeing her try to set an unoccupied recreational vehicle on fire on Sunday in Palo Alto.

Ursula Zavala was booked into the county jail on suspicion of arson, as well as a misdemeanor probation violation and two other misdemeanors, Palo Alto police said.

At 12:07 p.m. Sunday, a dispatcher received a call from a person who reported seeing Zavala light a piece of paper and place it in the wheel well of a 1985 Toyota motor home located in the 700 block of El Camino Real.

After Zavala allegedly walked away from the motor home, the witness extinguished the fire, which caused minor damage to the wheel well.

The witness followed Zavala at a distance and officers arrested her at 95 University Ave. a short time later.

Police said they do not know whether Zavala knows the owner of the RV.

Police are investigating whether Zavala also lit an unoccupied 1991 Honda Accord on fire at 10:34 a.m. that day in the parking lot of Palo Alto High School at 50 Embarcadero Road.

The fire damaged the hood and front windshield area of the car, police said.

Investigators are also checking to see whether Zavala set fire to other vehicles in Palo Alto or surrounding cities recently.

-By Bay City News, image via Palo Alto Police Department