Police Arrest Corona Man in Arson at Home
After arguing with his 82-year-old mother about whether he should visit relatives, a Corona man on Friday allegedly poured gasoline around the home they shared, starting a fire that gutted the rented house, authorities said.
Efrain Rafael Perez-Mercado, 47, “got in an argument with his mother inside the home,” said Corona Police Sgt. Ray Cota. “He wanted to go visit a relative, and she didn’t want him to. . . .
“He threatened to burn the house, and started spreading gasoline on the floor,” Cota said. “Apparently, the gasoline was ignited by a . . . pilot light.” Police said the incident occurred a little after noon.
Rafaela Perez-Mercado, 82, was treated at Corona Community Hospital for a minor burn and a scraped arm she suffered when a passer-by pulled her from the burning house, said Corona Fire Capt. Bill Perkins.
Her son escaped the blaze without injury, but was arrested at the scene on suspicion of arson, police said.
The South Harris Street home was virtually destroyed by the fire, Cota said. The blaze caused about $60,000 damage to the single-story house, Perkins estimated. “We didn’t lose it to the ground, but it’s an older home and it will probably be written off.”
Fifteen firefighters and supervisors converged on the burning home, controlling the flames within 20 minutes, Perkins said.
Perez-Mercado was held in Corona City Jail on $2,500 bail, Cota said. Police planned to transfer the suspect to Riverside County Jail late Friday.
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