ONTARIO — Ontario police have arrested a man suspected of setting fire to seven vehicles at the Folk Inn, located at 204 N. Vineyard Ave.
This incident took place on Jan. 13 at 1:50 a.m. when a suspect poured gasoline onto a vehicle in the parking lot and then lit it on fire. The gasoline spread to six other vehicles, engulfing them in flames before the Ontario Fire Department was able to extinguish the fire.
The fire caused the evacuation of several hotel guests at both the Folk Inn and the neighboring Azure Hotel. Neither building was damaged and no people were injured in the blaze. The incident was captured by hotel video surveillance.
Responding officers determined the fire was intended for a female acquaintance of the suspect. Investigators identified Matthew Masumi Toyotome, 27, from Riverside as the suspect seen in the video. He is associated with a cosplay group that was attending Anime Los Angeles at the nearby Ontario Convention Center over the weekend.
He was arrested at his home later that morning without incident. Toyotome has been booked at the West Valley Detention Center on charges of arson and stalking.
Toyotome had portrayed the yellow Power Ranger in cosplay activities, and the alleged stalking victim had played the pink Power Ranger.
The woman told police that Toyotome had made unwanted advances, causing her to end their friendship and block him from her social media accounts. She and her boyfriend identified Toyotome from the surveillance video.
This is an ongoing investigation and anyone with information is asked to call the Ontario Police Department at (909) 986-6711 or Detective Brian Darwin at (909) 408-1767.
Information can also be reported anonymously by calling WE-TIP at (800) 78-CRIME or online at www.wetip.com.