Santa Cruz Transient Suspected Of Vandalism, Fire Is Arrested

SANTA CRUZ - A 29-year-old transient was arrested after a standoff with officers for vandalism and starting a fire at a Santa Cruz business Wednesday evening, police said.

Jorawar Singh was arrested on suspicion of arson, burglary, vandalism and resisting arrest, police said.

Officers received a call shortly after 7 p.m. from a witness who saw a person, later identified as Singh, smash the windows of a business in the 800 block of River Street with a baseball bat, police said.

When officers reached the scene they saw a locked fence around the building and heard loud bangs from inside, according to police.

They set up a perimeter around the building and tried to talk to the suspect with a loud speaker, police said.

The officers told Singh to exit with his hands up, but they saw him moving inside, according to police.

Singh allegedly used fireworks to spark a fire and left through a back door, police said.

An officer quickly stopped Singh from fleeing and detained him with help from other personnel, according to police.

Another group of officers went inside the business, but soon after evacuated due to heavy smoke from the fire, police said.

Firefighters went inside the structure and extinguished the blaze, according to police.

The fire caused an estimated $100,000 in damage to the building and equipment, police said.

-Bay City News, image via Santa Cruz police