BOSTON — Officers from the Boston Police Department apprehended 32-year-old Santos Mateo-Cruz on charges of attempted arson early Wednesday morning in the Roxbury neighborhood.
At approximately 2:12 a.m., an officer from District C-6 (South Boston) was alerted by a woman on 255 Southampton Street about a man igniting a fire behind her.
The officer immediately spotted the fire with the suspect adding fuel by pouring gasoline onto the sidewalk adjacent to a fence and holding a lighter.
The suspect was swiftly handcuffed by the officer, and the Boston Fire Department was called to the scene for assistance.
After the fire was extinguished, a clear charring mark was visible on the property.
Mateo-Cruz faces charges including Negligent Use of Fire, Attempted Arson of a Dwelling, Defacing/Damaging Property, and Receiving Stolen Property.
He is scheduled for arraignment in Roxbury District Court.
