Supporters defend man accused of Alameda arson fires

ALAMEDA, Calif. (KGO) -- Friends and family of one of them men accused of starting a string of fires in Alameda claims he has an air-tight alibi.

Andres Gutierrez and Stephen Peterson are both faced arson charges Wednesday night in Alameda.

Peterson's family says there's no way he involved.

Hannah Flores is convinced her friend 27-year-old Stephen Michael Petersen, one of two men accused of setting a string of fires early Sunday morning in Alameda, is innocent.

"I want people to know that Stephen did not set the fires. He was at work at that time," Flores said. "They just kind of picked him up in front of his house. They haven't checked on his alibi, which is what I'm very concerned about."

The arson fires damaged or destroyed several homes and businesses, many of them remain red-tagged and behind crime scene tape.

Petersen Wednesday made his second court appearance. Friends and family who came to support the musician are themselves singing the same refrain: The cops have the wrong guy.

"There are facts," bandmate Edwina Phillips said. "Even if you were to say we're all in a state of denial, facts are facts. He wasn't even off work."

James Bulman, a coworker, said there's no way Petersen could have done it.

"I was with him from 7 until 1:45 Sunday morning working at Rooster's," Bulman said.

Petersen's friends say he was at Rooster's Roadhouse, a bar near the docks in Alameda, working as a sound tech during the time police accused him of being across town starting fires.

"Today we briefed and I can assure you that we're following up every single lead in this case," said Alameda police Lt. Jill Ottaviano

Lt. Ottaviano says she knows more than she can share without compromising the investigation and her detectives do not take sides, they're purely objective fact finders.

"I think that the district attorney is convinced of that as well, or else they wouldn't have charged," Ottaviano said.

Petersen is being held on $750,000 bail. Friends are using social media to voice their support under the hashtag, Free Stephen Peterson. They've even started a GoFundMe page to help pay his legal bills.

"...We all need to stick together because they've got the wrong guy and we don't want to see this go further," Phillips added.

Petersen's next court date is in two weeks at Alameda County Superior Court.