Danville, California (KPIX) — A California woman is facing arson charges for setting fires at three gas stations and a Starbucks, reportedly in protest of high gas prices. Police say 64-year-old Diane Craig used a fireplace log and a lighter to set fires in the restrooms of a Danville, California Arco station, Shell station, Chevron station and Starbucks.
Police arrested Craig Wednesday, June 4th, at a fast food restaurant near the gas stations. She had eight more fireplace logs with her.
Police says Craig admitted to starting the fires and told officers she wanted to do something about high gas prices.
Police say they don’t know why Craig included a Starbucks in her fiery protest.
Regular unleaded in Danville currently costs more than four dollars a gallon.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Regular unleaded (java that is) at Starbucks is probably about the same price!
Those hippies in OB who protested Star Bucks should be happy.
Here’s some additional details of some interest from the Mercury News:
“Meanwhile, the police car carrying Craig to the Martinez Detention Facility for booking was involved in an accident at Sycamore Valley Road and Camino Ramon, police said. Craig complained of neck pain and was taken to a local hospital for treatment, police said.
The other driver, a 27-year-old Pittsburg man, was arrested on suspicion of driving without a license, according to police.”
From the Danville Weekly News:
The first fire was lit at the Arco station on Camino Tassajara around 10 a.m. An employee discovered it and called police, said Danville police Lt. Mark Williams.
The woman started the fire on a baby changing table in the restroom using a Duraflame log, paper toilet seat covers and a lighter she had taken from the counter upon entering, he said.
Within the next two hours a second fire was discovered at the Chevron station on Crow Canyon Road and a third at the Starbucks down the street. Those fires were lit on top of toilet seats.
Police found the suspect, Diane Craig, 64, at a nearby McDonalds with Duraflame logs in her possession. She admitted to having lit the fires, Williams said.
“She just made a spontaneous statement that the reason she did it was she was tired of the gas prices,” he said. “She basically said she wanted to take a stand.”