Turlock man convicted of assault on girlfriend and arson

Officials say 33-year-old Santiago Ojeda Astorga attacked his girlfriend in September 2023 while their two children were there. He reportedly fled after the attack but later tried to find his girlfriend. He went to her relatives' home in a nearby apartment complex and “when Astorga could not find the victim, he threatened to burn down the relatives' apartment.”

In a press release, the Stanislaus County District Attorney said Astorga then used an accelerant and started a vehicle fire in the carport area of ​​the complex. The fire eventually spread to several cars and damaged two apartment units before it was extinguished by the Turlock Fire Department.

The Stanislaus County Fire Investigation Unit investigated the arson. Turlock police investigated the domestic violence incident and arrested Astorga within hours of the fire breaking out.