Suspect charged in Berkeley animal shelter arson

A man arrested after a fire at a Berkeley animal shelter was charged with felony arson on Wednesday along with other charges, prosecutors said.

Alameda County District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson announced her office had filed charges against 48-year-old Peter Taraba, who was arrested on June 6 following the fire at the Berkeley Animal Care Services shelter on Bolivar Drive near Interstate Highway 580 and the Berkeley Marina.

Berkeley police said that a burglar alarm went off at the facility at around 10 p.m., followed shortly after by a fire alarm. After putting out the fire, fire investigators found evidence indicating the fire may have been intentionally set, police said.

Detectives who reviewed surveillance footage from the area along with evidence at the scene determined that the suspect used a rock to break a window and started fire using an improvised incendiary device, according to police.

Detectives later identified Taraba as the suspect after police said he returned to the area. On June 11, officers located Taraba in downtown Berkeley and arrested him on suspicion of arson and multiple counts of cruelty to animals.

Aside from the arson charge, Taraba was also charged with burglary and vandalism. Berkeley Animal Services said that no animals were harmed in the incident, but its facility was closed until further notice.  

]"I am grateful to the Berkeley first responders whose efforts suppressed the fire before any people or animals were injured," Jones Dickson said in a prepared statement.

Taraba was arraigned on the charges on Tuesday at the Wiley Manuel Courthouse in Oakland and is currently being held at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin. His next court date on Thursday where he is expected to enter a plea.