People v. Williams CA3
Opinion
Opinion
Renner, J.
I. BACKGROUND
On September 29, 2022, Simon was working at a restaurant inside a mall in Tracy. Simon saw defendant with a mop near the back door. Simon went to check the restroom because he smelled smoke. When he returned to the back door, defendant was leaving without the mop. Simon found the mop on fire and leaned on a PG&E panel. He grabbed the mop and stopped the fire. Simon followed defendant outside the mall and told him to stop and that the fire was dangerous for the whole mall. Defendant told Simon it was none of his business. Defendant got a knife out of his backpack and threw it at Simon. Defendant told a police officer who was investigating the arson that he was walking through the mall with a cigarette when it accidentally lit the mop on fire. He said he took the mop from a janitor basket in the mall and left the mop behind after it caught on fire. At trial, defendant testified that he had gone to the mall to purchase clothing earlier on September 29, and returned to look for his missing wallet. He said he never had a mop. He denied throwing a knife. He also denied telling the police officer that he accidentally lit a mop on fire.