Arson suspect accused of starting fires across Santa Monica

An arson suspect was arrested for allegedly starting a series of fires across Santa Monica.

Police said the suspect, Marco Antonio Rubio, 36, is a homeless man. 

On Feb. 9, beginning at 1 p.m., authorities responded to a string of fires burning in several locations throughout the city.

Crews found four separate blazes that were “intentionally set at multiple locations, posing significant safety risks and damaging public property,” Santa Monica police said.

To track down the suspect, police utilized drones and eventually located him in the parking lot of a business. Footage from the arrest showed Rubio being ordered to lie down on the ground as officers quickly surrounded him and took him into custody.

Rubio is accused of setting fires at these locations:

• 1000 block of Colorado Avenue – A discarded pillow and cardboard were set on fire
• 16th and Michigan Avenue – A discarded mattress was set on fire
• Memorial Park – Netting on a Little League batting cage was set on fire
• 1500 block of 18th Street – A parked vehicle was set on fire

Although Rubio hadn’t been arrested for arson before, police confirmed he had prior arrests in California and Texas for charges including domestic violence, resisting arrest, and assault-related crimes. 

“The swift and coordinated response by our Police and Fire Departments highlights our commitment to ensuring the safety of Santa Monica residents,” said Santa Monica Police Chief Ramon Batista. “Through teamwork and advanced technology, we quickly identified the suspect and prevented further harm.”

Anyone with additional information on the incident or the suspect is encouraged to contact Detective McCoy at james.mccoy@santamonica.gov, Sergeant Cooney at shaun.cooney@santamonica.gov or the Watch Commander at 310-458-8427.