Man in Custody for Allegedly Setting a Fire inside a Restroom at Starbucks
MARTINEZ—A 47-year-old man is in trouble with the law for the second time in as many months. John Shannon, a resident of Martinez, is presently in custody for allegedly setting a fire at a Starbucks coffee shop.
The fire occurred August 23 at 11:15 a.m. at the Starbucks location at 6683 Alhambra Avenue. The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (Con Fire) assisted the Martinez Police Department in investigating the fire.
The suspect was seen by witnesses loitering near Starbucks prior to the fire. He was seen entering the restroom at Starbucks. Shortly after he exited from the coffee shop it began filling with smoke.
Smoke was pouring out from the restroom. Employees opened the door to see a garbage can and toilet stuffed with trash and toilet paper on fire. The fire was quickly extinguished, and no injuries were reported.
Surveillance video recorded outside the restroom corroborated statements made by witnesses who saw the suspect. Shannon was located four miles away from where the fire occurred.
He was detained outside the Safeway supermarket at 6683 Alhambra Avenue. Witnesses brought there identified him in a field line up, as the suspected arsonist.
Shannon was arrested at 12:25 p.m. by Martinez officers and transported to Contra Costa County’s Martinez Detention Facility. He was booked for setting fire to an inhabited structure PC 451(B). He remains in custody in lieu of $250,000 bond.
Last month, Shannon was in trouble with police in Concord, where he was arrested July 2 for DUI alcohol/drugs.
