Calif. Man Accused of Arson in School Fires
Source Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, Calif.
April 29--A Marysville man was arrested early Saturday on suspicion of starting several small fires around the Marysville High School and Marysville Charter Academy for the Arts campuses, police said.
Corey Michael Sherrin, 25, was arrested by Marysville police officers at the high school on suspicion of arson and was booked into the Yuba County Jail. Investigators suspect he started as many as six small fires on the school grounds and are investigating whether he is connected to a December arson fire that extensively damaged classrooms at MCAA, Calfire Battalion Chief Mike Carr said.
Calfire Marysville firefighters and police officers responded to a call of a bush fire at the high school at about 12:30 a.m. and found a single tree on fire near the district office that was put out with a fire extinguisher. As they investigated, firefighters found a dumpster fire that had taken off in the parking lot, a burning garbage can, and a fire around a wooden kiosk at the charter school.
In all, six small fires were found, causing $250 in damage to the charter academy and $50 in damage to Marysville High School, Carr said. Firefighters spoke with three people they found on campus, and police officers found and questioned Sherrin, who was leaving the area on a bicycle.
Sherrin is a former Marysville High School student, according to Appeal-Democrat records, and was arrested March 21 by Yuba City Police Department on suspicion of burglary. He is being held in Yuba County Jail on $50,000 bail.
The investigation is ongoing, including into whether Sherrin is linked to the previous fire at Marysville Charter Academy for the Arts, a similar bush fire near Mervyns in recent weeks or a fire inside the Salvation Army store, Carr said.
"We've been concerned all along somebody, unidentified until last night, has been setting fires at the school," Carr said. "Anytime you have recurring fires in a single location, that's a great concern ... The danger is one of these small nuisance fires will escalate and catch a building on fire and cause damage or injuries or kill somebody."
Anyone with information related to any fires started in Marysville in recent months is asked to call the Calfire Marysville office at 741-6622 or Marysville Police Department at 749-3900.
CONTACT Ashley Gebb at [email protected] or 749-4783. Find her on Facebook at /ADagebb or on Twitter at @ADagebb.
Copyright 2012 - Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, Calif.