Fire is one of the most transformative elements in the known universe. Thus, it shouldn’t be a surprise that fire had such a wide-ranging impact on San Benito County—from criminal acts of arson that left family-owned businesses crumbled to the ground, to a late summer smoky haze that drifted over from numerous massive wildfires to the north and south.
At least 10 downtown Hollister businesses were damaged or destroyed early in the morning Nov. 2, when David Anthony Pequeno allegedly set a series of fires and vandalized property throughout the neighborhood.
Two family-owned businesses—Cheung Sheng Chinese restaurant and She’s Consignment & Gifts—were completely destroyed and are still recovering. Police said Pequeno vandalized several vehicles in the area. Hollister Police officers arrested Pequeno by the evening of Nov. 2.
Pequeno, 21, was charged by San Benito County District Attorney Candice Hooper’s office with four counts of arson and eight counts of vandalism. He remains in custody at the county jail, awaiting his next hearing on Jan. 19 for the setting of his preliminary hearing, Hooper said.
On July 12, a giant structure fire on the 400 block of San Benito Street dealt what Fire Marshall Charlie Bedolla called a “devastating blow” to downtown Hollister. Destroyed in the blaze were five local businesses: Mi Casita Multi Servicios, Design Line & Granger Printing, New Image Salon, Aristotle Insurance Agency and Mary’s Flowers.
The cause of the fire was determined to be electrical and unintentional, according to authorities. The response included firefighting assistance from Monterey, Santa Cruz and Santa Clara Counties, six aerial trucks and fire engine companies from CalFire, Watsonville and Salinas.
Then in August—while none of the dozen-plus wildfires burning in California at the time were in dangerous proximity to San Benito County—massive blazes to the north and south resulted in smoky conditions and harmful air quality. Air quality districts in the region sent out multiple air quality alerts due to the heavy smoke.
