Suspect arrested in string of Peninsula fires

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Palo Alto police have arrested a 23-year-old Palo Alto man for allegedly setting a series of fires early Friday morning.

Police arrested Terry Lee Hill Jr. Saturday night on suspicion of four felony counts of arson. Hill Jr. is accused of setting four separate fires between 2 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. Friday.

A security camera near one of the fires captured footage of a person of interest who Hill strongly resembles, police said.

An officer on patrol Saturday night in the 600 block of Urban Lane spotted Hill and detained him without incident. He was later booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail.

The first fire was reported around 2 a.m. at the Caltrain parking lot in the 600 block of Urban Lane. A vehicle was set on fire and was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived. The vehicle was significantly damaged.

At 4:25 a.m., firefighters responded to a dumpster fire in the 100 block of Palo Alto Avenue. About an hour after that, another small fire was reported in a parking garage in the 500 block of High Street. Around the same time, a brush fire was reported along a bicycle path near Homer Avenue and Alma Street.

Anyone with further information about the fires has been asked to call Palo Alto police at (650) 329-2413. Those wishing to remain anonymous can leave a voicemail at (650) 383-8984 or email paloaltotipnow.org.