VENTURA : Suspect Arrested in 5 Arson Fires

Ventura police arrested a 37-year-old man Tuesday on suspicion of setting five small fires in the mid-town area, including three at Cabrillo Middle School.

Fire investigators have not yet determined whether a sixth fire, which caused an estimated $125,000 in damage to a downtown furniture store early Tuesday, was related to the others.

“We are looking at that fire to see if it’s connected to the other fires,� Lt. Don Arth said.

The suspect, John Barbezat of Ventura, was booked into County Jail and was being held in lieu of $10,000 bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday.

Barbezat was arrested at Cemetery Park, near Aliso and Poli streets, about 5:45 a.m. after a fire was set in a trash container in the park, police said.

The other fires were set minutes before in a trash can behind Inside Track, 1419 E. Main St., and two trash cans and a trash bin at Cabrillo Middle School, police said. A cigarette lighter was used to start all the fires, Arth said.

The trash can fires did not damage any structures.

The larger, two-alarm fire at Dreamweaver Furniture, 443 E. Main St., also began in a trash bin but then spread to a warehouse area in the back of the building.

Firefighters were called to the scene about 12:15 a.m. and had the fire extinguished in about 20 minutes. It caused about $25,000 worth of damage to the building and destroyed $100,000 worth of new furniture, officials said.

Ventura fire officials could not be reached for comment on what sparked the blaze.