The following is a press release issued by the Ukiah Police Department.The information has not been proven in a court of law and any individuals described should be presumed innocent until proven guilty:
On 09/08/20 at approx. 4:46 am, Ukiah Valley Fire Authority and UPD officers were dispatched to the Redwood Tree Service Station, 859 N. State St., regarding a fire at the location. Upon arrival, officers found a wooden gazebo, along with the south side of the building was on fire. Ukiah Valley Fire Authority personnel were able to put out the fire. The building sustained major damage to the south side interior and exterior of the building. Smoke was able to enter the building and caused damage as well. The owner was contacted and was unable to provide an estimate on the repair at this time, due to the extent of the damage.
UPD Detectives assumed the investigation. Later in the day, Detectives were able to obtain video surveillance from the business. The video surveillance captured a single subject on the property at the time the fire started. The subject was last seen walking northbound on N. State St. UPD Detectives continued investigating the case and obtained additional information and located additional video surveillance from a business in the area. The additional surveillance showed a subject having similar features and personal items, as the subject seen in the Redwood Tree Service Station surveillance. The information was disseminated to the UPD patrol division, asking them to be on the lookout for a similar subject.
On 09/10/20, UPD patrol officers located a subject matching the description walking in the 800 block of N. State St. UPD Officers made a consensual contact with the subject, later identified as local transient, David Zakedis. UPD Detectives were notified and responded. Zakedis was interviewed at the scene and admitted to being the one responsible for the fire. Zakedis was also in possession of items seen on the video surveillance footage as well. Zakedis was arrested without incident for arson, committing arson during a state of emergency and a violation of probation. Zakedis was lodged at the county jail.
Anyone with any additional information is urged to contact Ukiah PD at 707-463-6262.
Earlier Chapters:
What a total POS!!!
I wish you had said “local man who is homeless “ instead. The term “transient” removes his humanity and reinforces fear folks have if people who are experiencing homelessness.
And yes, if convicted, this is a very serious crime he committed. 😞
Just for clarity, that language was written by Ukiah Police Department.
Thank you Matt for your clarification. Some of us recognize LEO report writing style.
It is rude when some people just like to feel they are the experts (ha) and the need to correct others.
Kristen Hills are you for real?!? Garbage like this guy have given up their humanity.
Any One steeling a fire during this time is not human , so don’t play that crap with me !
I think lighting the fire “removed his humanity.”
I used to live in a house that is next door to the South of that station back in the early 50’s. The house is no longer standing and we moved to Empire Gardens in 1953. The bathrooms were labeled as Setter’s and Pointer’s back in the day.
I pumped gas there in the early 1970ths