Transient Arrested on Arson, Burglary Charges on Sonoma Coast

SONOMA COUNTY, CA -- A transient who was seen at a small vegetation fire on the Sonoma Coast was arrested for public intoxication and battery on a peace officer, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office said Friday, Nov. 9.

David Swanson, 28, was arrested Thursday near a small fire at Bohan Dillon and Fort Ross roads in the Fort Ross area, the Sheriff's Office said.

A sheriff's deputy who responded to the fire being fought by Cal Fire received reports of a man unknown to local residents who was acting strangely.

A local winery worker came upon Swanson on the side of the road and brought him to the deputy at the fire scene. The worker said Swanson was "tweaking" and not making any sense.

The deputy said Swanson couldn't explain why he was in the area and appeared to be under the influence of drugs. A records check showed Swanson was on probation for a previous theft case and was subject to warrant-less search and seizure, the sheriff's office said.

During his arrest for public intoxication and violating probation, Swanson spit at the deputy as he was placed in a patrol car, the sheriff's office said. He was booked in the Sonoma County jail for battery on a peace officer, public intoxication and violating probation.

Deputies later received a call from a woman who said her home in the 28500 block of Bohan Dillon Road was ransacked. The woman said a Marmot backpack, blankets and Cliff bars were missing from her home.

Swanson was wearing an orange Marmot backpack containing three blankets, Cliff bars, matches and lighters at the time of his arrest, the sheriff's office said.

Swanson is under investigation for the vegetation fire and the residential burglary, the sheriff's office said.

Bay City News Service contributed to this report/Image via the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office