reportanddeport
12-18-2007, 11:19 PM
http://www.marinij.com/ci_7703478
Flag set afire on cross at San Rafael church
Gary Klien (gklien@marinij.com?subject=Marin Independent Journal: Flag set afire on cross at San Rafael church)
Article Launched: 12/12/2007 05:15:25 PM PST
A San Rafael man was arrested on allegations he doused a stolen American flag in cognac and set it ablaze on an 8-foot cross at St. Raphael Church, police said.
"He saw the five-pointed stars on the flag and thought it was the sign of the devil," said San Rafael police Sgt. Jonathan Bean.
Roger Jesus Estrella-Suarez, 29, was arrested Tuesday afternoon after a passerby reported a man setting a fire outside the historic Fifth Avenue mission. Police quickly arrived to find Estrella-Suarez burning the flag on the cross, which sits on a lawn in front of the mission and the St. Raphael School.
Bean said Estrella-Suarez stole the flag from a residence, bought a bottle of Hennessy cognac at a liquor store, soaked the flag and lit it, perhaps hoping to exorcise the demons.
"(He) had a fixation on the five-pointed star," Bean said.
Estrella-Suarez was booked into the county jail on su****ion of arson and vandalizing a place of worship. No charges were filed Wednesday pending further review by the district attorney's office. Estrella-Suarez, whose occupation is listed as bus boy in jail records, was being held in lieu of $50,000 bail. He was also being detained on a no-bail federal immigration hold pending review of his citizenship
status.
The damage to the cross was minimal, said the Rev. Paul Rossi, pastor of St. Raphael Church. "The wood looked maybe a little darker on the top or something, maybe that was from a little bit of the fire, but it's fine," Rossi said. "I can't see any difference than it was the day before
Flag set afire on cross at San Rafael church
Gary Klien (gklien@marinij.com?subject=Marin Independent Journal: Flag set afire on cross at San Rafael church)
Article Launched: 12/12/2007 05:15:25 PM PST
A San Rafael man was arrested on allegations he doused a stolen American flag in cognac and set it ablaze on an 8-foot cross at St. Raphael Church, police said.
"He saw the five-pointed stars on the flag and thought it was the sign of the devil," said San Rafael police Sgt. Jonathan Bean.
Roger Jesus Estrella-Suarez, 29, was arrested Tuesday afternoon after a passerby reported a man setting a fire outside the historic Fifth Avenue mission. Police quickly arrived to find Estrella-Suarez burning the flag on the cross, which sits on a lawn in front of the mission and the St. Raphael School.
Bean said Estrella-Suarez stole the flag from a residence, bought a bottle of Hennessy cognac at a liquor store, soaked the flag and lit it, perhaps hoping to exorcise the demons.
"(He) had a fixation on the five-pointed star," Bean said.
Estrella-Suarez was booked into the county jail on su****ion of arson and vandalizing a place of worship. No charges were filed Wednesday pending further review by the district attorney's office. Estrella-Suarez, whose occupation is listed as bus boy in jail records, was being held in lieu of $50,000 bail. He was also being detained on a no-bail federal immigration hold pending review of his citizenship
status.
The damage to the cross was minimal, said the Rev. Paul Rossi, pastor of St. Raphael Church. "The wood looked maybe a little darker on the top or something, maybe that was from a little bit of the fire, but it's fine," Rossi said. "I can't see any difference than it was the day before