By Jim Clark

Somerville fire and police units were dispatched to a Windom St. residence at approximately 2:40 a.m. on August 7 on reports that a garbage can’s contents had been set on fire. West Somerville has reportedly been beset by an unusually large number of such fires in recent months, according to police and fire officials.

Upon arrival, police spotted a man reportedly running away from the scene of the fire. Police followed the man in their vehicle and activated their blue lights in an attempt to make the man stop running, but he reportedly ignored them and continued to flee.

The man eventually did stop when verbally ordered to do so, and was then questioned by police about his activities and why he was running from them. The man was reluctant to give information at first, but later said that a friend of his had started the fire by throwing a lit cigarette into the can. The man also said that his friend left the scene on a bicycle before police and fire units arrived.

Police said that the man initially gave a false name and date of birth. A police database query failed to give a match on the information provided. When contents of the man’s bag were searched, documents showing a different name and date of birth were found, and the man admitted that he had lied about his identity.

A search of the man’s person yielded a flask containing whiskey, police said.

When asked why he did not report the fire the man reportedly said that his mobile phone was inoperable, but that he stayed nearby to make sure that the fire did not spread out of control. He also stated the he would have put the fire out if he could have, but that he was afraid of being burned, according to reports.

The man also could not give a specific address for where he was living, police said.

Based on the facts at hand, Arjuna Kataria, 27, of New York, NY, was subsequently placed under arrest and charged with burning personal property of another, disorderly conduct, witness intimidation, and violation of city ordinance open container.