San Luis Obispo Police arrest a man in connection with multiple crimes including vehicle theft and arson.
Justin Anthony Mendoza was arrested on Thursday, June 20. Police had been searching for Mendoza since Tuesday, June 18 after he reportedly hit a bicyclist at Broad and Higuera and drove away. The vehicle Mendoza was driving was described to police by a witness and was later determined to be stolen from the 400 block of Higuera earlier that day.
After a few hours, the vehicle was found abandoned by CHP officers on Highway 101 southbound north of San Luis Obispo.
Police were able to view surveillance video near the area where the vehicle was stolen and create a description of the suspect.
Also on Tuesday, reports of a man fitting Mendoza’s description came in of a man setting a tree on fire in the 700 block of Santa Rosa Road. The fire was quickly contained, and after a long search police were unable to locate him.
On Thursday, June 20 police responded to reports of a male acting suspicious in the area of Monterey and Santa Rosa. Responding officers noticed that the male fit the description of the man from the above cases. He was contacted and identified as Justin Anthony Mendoza.
Further investigation showed that Mendoza was wanted for a parole violation and was placed under arrest.
Mendoza is facing multiple charges including, vehicle theft, hit and run with injury and arson. He was booked into the San Luis Obispo County Jail without bail.
