Pleasant Hill Man in Custody for Arson at UC Berkeley Campus

Pleasant Hill Man in Custody for Arson at UC Berkeley Campus
Photo: Image of USPD damaged vehicle| Courtesy of UCPD

BERKELEY — A man arrested allegedly started four fires at the Berkeley campus of the University of California. Casey R. Goonan, 34, of Pleasant Hill, remains at Alameda County Santa Rita Jail in lieu of $1 million bond. 

State and federal agencies investigated the fires that happened on campus in June. The Office of State Fire Marshal arson and bomb investigators worked in collaboration with the University of California Police Department. The FBI and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also participated in the investigation. 

Goonan was identified as a suspect. He was placed under arrest on June 17 at 9:01 a.m. Goonan was booked on multiple charges including arson and conspiracy to commit crime. He also faces charges for possession of a destructive device and materials with intent to make an explosive device. In addition, he faces charges for possession/use of an explosive device. 

The first fire on June 1 at approximately 4 a.m. damaged a UC Berkeley police car. An incendiary device was placed under the police car parked in front of the campus police station. The device was placed near the fuel tank and the police car was partially burned. 

Only minor damage resulted from the three other fires. One happened June 13 shortly after noon, outside Koshland Hall. Two fires occurred on June 16. Construction materials and wooden pallets were set alight at the Dwinelle Annex construction site, near Zellerbach Hall. The fourth fire was a brush fire on a campus hilltop. 

 

Pleasant Hill Man in Custody for Arson at UC Berkeley Campus was last modified: June 26th, 2024 by admin
Categories: Alameda

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Jim Emerson

Jim Emerson is a northern California writer covering crime and arrest related news in the Bay Area - focusing primarily on Alameda, Contra Costa, and Marin counties.