Three teenaged men have been arrested in connection with an arson fire that destroyed the computer lab at San Luis Obispo High School.
According to SLOPD Sgt. Chad Pfarr, at 12:24 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, dispatchers received a fire alarm activation at SLOHS in the computer lab in Building 800.
“Responding San Luis Obispo Fire personnel arrived and found the Computer Lab was fully involved in fire,” Sgt. Pfarr said. “The Fire Department was able to stop movement of the fire into additional buildings and saved the Computer Lab building.
“The contents of the Computer Lab were a total loss and High School officials are working to determine the value of the damage.”
As firefighters fought the blaze, dispatch got a report from a citizen on Alta Drive, which is adjacent to the school, about a suspicious vehicle in the area with three men inside.
“According to the caller,” Sgt. Pfarr said, “the three men parked their car and jumped over a fence which led towards the fire scene. Police officers were sent to investigate.”
Officers detained the three pending further investigation and Sgt. Pfarr said that led them to charge the men in the fire.
Pfarr said, Jacob Ruth, 19, Michael Benadiba, 18, and Cameron Bratcher, 18, were arrested and charged with suspicion of arson, burglary and vandalism — all of which are felonies — and booked into County Jail with bail set at $25,000 each.
The fire comes, perhaps coincidentally, at a time when police are investigating dozens of arson fires set over the past two years.
“Investigators are trying to determine if these suspects can be linked to any other crimes involving arson or burglary,” Sgt. Pfarr said.
Anonymous tips about this case, these men or other crimes can be made to Crime Stoppers at (805) 549-STOP.
