Arroyo Grande man pleads ‘No Contest’ to committing arson at furniture store

An Arroyo Grande man pled “No Contest” to arson charges on Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018, and was sentenced to 180 days in jail and three years’ formal probation.

David Michael Bokar, 51, was arrested on August 22, 2018, shortly after police officers and firefighters were dispatched to a large fire near the dumpsters located to the rear of the R&R Furniture store located at 1450 West Branch Street in Arroyo Grande.

The hillside, pine trees, oak trees, and dry brush were burning up as the fire traveled up the hillside towards the hotels nearby.

During the investigation, police found Bokar sitting to the west of the fire and was subsequently interviewed and arrested by officers after they reviewed surveillance footage identifying Bokar as the suspect who lit the fire.