San Rafael man arrested for starting 25-acre fire in Marin County, authorities say

MARIN COUNTY, Calif. -- A man suspected of being involved with a vegetation fire that burned 18 acres in Marin County on Tuesday was arrested the same day, the Marin County Sheriff's Office said.

A 34-year-old male of San Rafael has been accused of recklessly starting a fire to forest land and resisting a police officer.

The so-called Queenstone Fire broke just after 4 a.m. Tuesday north of Marinwood at Queenstone Fire and Chicken Shack Fire roads, according to PulsePoint emergency alerts, and grew to 25 acres around noon, according to an earlier report.

Video in the media player above is from a previous update

Over 100 firefighters from Cal Fire and every fire department in Marin County were deployed and extinguished the fire, said Mike Marcucci, a Marin County Fire division chief.

No evacuation orders were issued and the fire was not a threat to life or property, according to the Marin County Fire Department early Tuesday.

The Marin County Sheriff's Office and Fire Department worked with the Novato Police Department to identify Crook as potentially having a connection to the blaze.

The man was later located near Safeway on Nave Drive in Novato by patrol units. He was detained by officers with the Novato Police Department after a "brief struggle," according to the Sheriff's Office.

The suspect allegedly admitted to starting the fire during an interview with Sheriff's deputies. He said he burned his tent and belongings in the area of the Queenstone fire and left before completely extinguishing it to avoid getting in trouble. He knew starting the fire was reckless, he allegedly said in the interview.

The Sheriff's Office did not say if the suspect mentioned any reason for burning his tent.

He was booked into the Marin County Jail, where he is being held on a $12,000 total bond.

Editor's Note: ABC7 News removed the suspect's name since he has not been charged