San Jose Man Identified As Suspect In String Of Arson Fires

SAN JOSE (CBS SF) - Police have released the name of a man suspected of lighting a series of early-morning arson fires in San Jose.

Patrick William Brennan, a 48-year-old San Jose resident, was arrested Wednesday evening. He is suspected of lighting about a dozen fires in the downtown area since last week.

Brennan was taken into custody at about 8:10 p.m. by the Police Department's Covert Response Unit after being under surveillance for 24 hours, police said. He was originally identified as a person of interest when people check a database of area residents with prior arson arrests on their record.

The fire department has reported 13 fires near downtown since Jan. 8. Eleven of them were determined to be arson. The blazes usually occurred during the early morning hours. Three fires alone were set on Sunday.

The targets have included homes and businesses and a church. No injuries are reported.

Brennan was booked into Santa Clara County Jail and is being held on $1 million bail, police said. Detectives said Tuesday that they have evidence linking Brennan to at least two of the fires.