Morgan Gonzalez-Gutierrez booking photo
SEASIDE — 19-year-old Morgan Gonzalez-Gutierrez sits in custody at the Monterey County Jail on charges of arson, burglary, and robbery after being interrupted by a homeowner on Circle Avenue the evening of Friday, May 12th.
The Seaside Police responded to a report of a burglary-in-progress at a residence on the 1200 block of Circle Avenue. There they were met by the homeowner, who said Gutierrez had fled the scene. Officers took down a description and managed to find him, still on Circle Avenue, a short time later.
Preliminary investigation revealed that Gutierrez had kicked in the front door and was in the process of ransacking the home when the owner caught him. Gutierrez then allegedly punched him in the chest and bolted out the front door.
Gutierrez had also reportedly stacked papers on top of the stove and turned it on in an attempt to set the house on fire. Fortunately, the owner was able to extinguish the flames before any severe damage could be done.
Detectives assigned to the case also obtained a search warrant for Gutierrez’s home and collected evidence.
