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San Luis Obispo police arrest arson suspect

September 10, 2026

By KAREN VELIE

San Luis Obispo police officers arrested a 38-year-old man on Thursday for allegedly setting a fire that burned five vehicles on city owned property near the Bob Jones Trail on Sept. 8.

John RoraboughShortly after 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, a caller reported a fire burning off the Bob Jones Bike Trail near the intersection of Los Osos Valley Road and Highway 101. Firefighters arrived to find a 50-by-50-foot area of vegetation burning near the decommissioned city utilities facility. Five vehicles that were being stored at the facility were fully engulfed in flames.

During the fire, a person of interest was initially located and detained, but later released.

Detectives later identified John Rorabough as a suspect in the crime. He is unhoused and known to frequent the area.

On Thursday, officers booked Rorabough in San Luis Obispo County Jail for arson of a structure or forest land and arson of property, both felony offenses.

Investigators are asking anyone with information related to the arson fire to contact Detective Koznek at jkoznek@slocity.org or (805) 594-8005.

 


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6 Comments

Well, he’s housed now courtesy of the SLOCSD. No need to be PC to arson suspects. Why wasn’t the area cleared of brush and grass? Could be a fire code violation.


0

Maybe he was just looking for a cot and some hots? OR heard of the heat wave and looking for AC?


0

Well it’s friday now so he should be released by now due to libtard “soft on crime” policies that constantly release people like this guy back into society immediately to commit other crimes.


Yep, we all know it…criminals and repeat offenders that get released over and over again without accountability is 100% democrat’s fault. Their politicians and policies they voted for, PLAIN AND SIMPLE!


12

“unhoused” implies he could function within a housing environment, which he clearly could not. Please be more serious in your reporting, words matter. Vagrant, bum, druggie, etc would all be more appropriate


9

100%


The word “unhoused” is the go to vernacular of a Libocrat louse to avoid stating what NORMAL people still think of a DEADBEAT HOMELESS LOSER!


Don’t be a Libocrat louse! (boo!)


2

What a surprise. Not.


7