Man Arrested on Suspicion of Arson after RUSD Fires

Redlands police detectives on Wednesday, March 18 arrested one man suspected of setting three fires at Redlands Unified School District facilities earlier that same morning and burglarizing a classroom and a nearby church. Authorities arrested Robert Aaron Trujillo, 21, of Mentone, at about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 18, at the residence where he was staying in the 3000 block of Mill Creek Road in Mentone. A release issued by the city states that police investigated a burglary and vandalism at the Church of the Nazarine on the 1300 block of East Citrus Avenue on Wednesday, where "police discovered forensic evidence linking Trujillo to that burglary, two fires set early Wednesday morning at the Redlands Unified School District transportation yard and the burglary and arson of a classroom at the Redlands High School campus." The release states that police also located stolen property from the school that had been left behind during the burglary at the church. Trujillo was identified and located after the forensic evidence was run through the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department crime lab, according to the release. "When Trujillo was arrested, detectives located property stolen from the church in his possession. They later searched another Mentone location and recovered the remainder of the property stolen from the church," read the release. Firefighters, a medic squad, a battalion chief and Redlands police responded to a 911 call of a fire at the school district's transportation yard on Central Avenue about 4 a.m. Wednesday, March 18, according to a release issued by the city. When firefighters arrived they found a school bus and utility trailer engulfed in flames. In approximately 15 minutes responders controlled the blaze, which also damaged another bus and trailer, according to the release. While firefighters worked to extinguish the flames at the transportation yard, they received another call of a fire in a modular classroom half a block away on the Redlands High School's north campus. That fire was extinguished in about 30 minutes and the classroom was destroyed. "None of the other classrooms were damaged by the fire but there were indications the arsonist attempted to gain entry into several classrooms before setting the fire," the release stated. Initial reports indicate that there were no injuries as a result of the fires, and as of press time damage estimates were unavailable. The district was on spring break last week and only a handful of students were expected on campus March 18. School district officials indicated that the classroom had been used for Spanish classes. Police have not released a motive for the arson, but determined that though Trujillo attended Redlands district schools and graduated in 2011, he did not attend Redlands High School. A box containing four packages of cheese was also located by police, who believe it was stolen by the suspect Wednesday night from an unknown location. Police also believe the suspect walked to Mentone pushing a wheelchair after committing the burglary at the church. Police Lt. Travis Martinez credited the efforts of the Redlands Fire Department, the Redlands Police Department, and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department for the quick identification and apprehension of the suspect. “This type of attack on our schools and a local church is reprehensible. RPD will always work tirelessly until people like this are brought to justice,” Martinez said. The transportation yard houses about 60 buses and other equipment used to serve the district. The buses that were damaged were not used for daily student transportation and the trailer was empty at the time of the fire, according to the release. School district officials said in a statement, “We appreciate the Redlands Fire Department’s work... Their efforts prevented a bad situation from becoming worse. As they continue their investigation, we turn our attention toward clean-up and replacement." District officials indicated that they were ready for school to resume Monday, March 23. If anybody is missing a box of cheese or saw a subject pushing a wheelchair in the early morning hours of Wednesday, please contact Detective Corey Hunt at 909-798-7688. Those with information are asked to contact the Redlands Fire Department Arson Unit at 909-798-7600.