Transient arrested in Sebastopol feed store fire

Sebastopol police Wednesday morning arrested a transient whom they say started the huge fire that destroyed Frizelle Enos Feeds, the town's longest running business and a downtown landmark for 80 years.

Surveillance video from a nearby building caught the man apparently lighting matches and setting them at the base of hay bales, said Sebastopol Police Chief Jeff Weaver.

Saturday evening's fire caused an estimated $2.8 million damage — a total loss of the building and the business.

Police readily recognized the man in the video — west county transient Steven Barton Edmonds, 53 — they'd arrested him 73 times since 2005, said Weaver.

He was known as a petty criminal, often drunk. And he'd just gotten out of the Sonoma County Jail four days before he allegedly set the fire, Weaver said.

As part of the fire investigation Sebastopol police and firefighters had been reviewing surveillance video from various downtown businesses, hoping to spot something.

Early Wednesday they watched the one that led to the arrest.

By about 8:45 a.m. Sgt. Mike Nielsen was looking for Edmonds. He found him about an hour later not far from the fire scene.

Edmonds was near the U.S. Post Office on Main Street — about a block from the blackened shell of the Frizelle Enos building.

"It's good news. It helps put closure to it," said Frizelle Enos Feeds owner Darrel Freitas.

"It's unfortunate that it was really arson. It would have been better if it had been an accident. I'm glad they caught him," said Sebastopol Mayor Michael Kyes.

Building owner Tennyson Tucker had a different reaction, saying he was relieved about the arrest and glad it wasn't random.

"I was happy. I'm glad it wasn't just an accident. Someone throwing a cigarette out. That's kind of what I thought it was," said Tucker.

Police weren't aware of a motive for the fire, but said Edmonds at times broke the law on purpose to get himself arrested.

Frizelle Enos, a large warehouse-like building, for almost a century was the downtown's southeastern anchor.

It was a popular west county go-to spot for backyard farmers and pet owners for its range of items for sale and country charm.

Saturday the store closed at 5 p.m. and one employee, a female, was left inside finishing up for the day when the fire started.

By about 5:40 p.m. callers were dialing 911 to report seeing flames in the hay.

Hundreds of hay bales had been stacked up along the outside of the Petaluma Avenue building.

The fire quickly spread into the building and grew until it consumed the business.

More than 80 firefighters from seven agencies came with 25 engines. They fought the blaze and hot spots long into Sunday morning. The fire didn't spread to any nearby buildings.

Since Saturday night's fire, officials had said there was something suspicious about the blaze, with the possibility it was set on purpose.

By late Sunday, police and fire officials had information pointing at Edmonds as a possible suspect, but others also remained under suspicion, Weaver said.

Wednesday's video viewing gave them definitive evidence regarding Edmonds, said Weaver.

The video showed the man approaching the hay, manipulating something, which police believed were matches. He then placed them near the base of the hay before walking away, Chief Weaver said.