A 51-yr.-OLD OPTOMETRIST IN WALNUT CREEK, CALIFORNIA, WAS ARRESTED FRIDAY and charged two counts of arson and two counts of arson of an inhabited building for fires at a Westamerica Bank branch, a Wendy’s restaurant and two at Comcast’s headquarters, one count of possession of a deadly weapon (brass knuckles) and one count of resisting an officer, all felonies. The fire at Wendy’s and one of the fires at Comcast, which both happened Wednesday night, were allegedly set while people were in the buildings.
Scott Weinberg is accused of setting fire to a Wendy’s Restaurant around 10 pm Wednesday night and then six hours later torching a Comcast Cable TV building which led to a service loss to thousands of area residents. Surveillance cameras at the Wendy’s recorded him inside the fast-food business shortly before the fire and also have pictures of his car in the parking lot.
Scott Weinberg
Several people saw him leaving the Wendy’s as the fire was starting and turned his license plate number over to the police. They later were able to connect him with the Comcast fire as well.
KGO-TV reports:
The second fire at the Comcast building happened early Thursday morning and was the only one that caused major damage.
Andrew Johnson, vice president of communications for Comcast, said the fire caused extensive damage to the business’s administration offices and left 40,000 customers without cable or Internet service for about two and a half hours.
The network operations building was up and running Thursday and services were restored to customers, but the administration building may remain closed for several months while repairs are made, Johnson said.
Contra Costa Times / Du Frene photo
Weinberg has a long history of mental illness marked by episodes of “unpredictable” and “disturbing” behavior, court records say. The Contra Costa Times, via the Mercury-News, has a detailed report on his past behavioral problems HERE.
Weinberg is being held in the Contra Costa County jail under a $1.4 million bond.
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