In the early morning hours of June 29, a fire tore through the administrative offices of the Newman-Crows Landing Unified School District, causing an estimated $250,000 in damages and prompting a multi-agency firefighting response. Days later, Newman Police announced the arrest of 21-year-old Newman resident Carlos Rangel Bernal in connection with what investigators have now confirmed was an act of arson.
The blaze was reported at 3:15 a.m. at 1040 Merced Street, where Newman Fire Department crews arrived to find flames engulfing part of the district building. With support from Gustine, Mountain View, and West Stanislaus fire agencies, firefighters battled a stubborn attic fire for nearly 90 minutes. According to Fire Chief Keith Bowen, the design of the structure made accessing the source of the flames difficult, adding to the challenge. “There was no significant source to make it burn there,” Bowen said, noting that the fire appeared to have originated near an exterior carport before climbing into the attic—circumstances that immediately raised suspicion.
Security footage from both the district office and a neighboring business helped investigators identify a suspect, and Newman Police launched a criminal investigation with support from the Stanislaus Regional Fire Investigation Unit. Corporal Parrott authored a search warrant for a Newman residence, where investigators recovered clothing matching that seen in surveillance footage. Rangel Bernal was subsequently arrested and, during questioning, admitted to setting the fire. Police say a lighter used in the incident was found on his person at the time of arrest.
Rangel Bernal was transported to Stanislaus County Jail and booked for one count of arson. As of Friday, he was not listed as a current inmate at the Stanislaus County Jail and he was not found under the case index search for the Stanislaus County Superior Court.
No injuries were reported, as the building was unoccupied at the time of the fire. Damage to the structure was estimated at $200,000, with an additional $50,000 in content losses. Authorities are continuing to gather information and urge anyone with knowledge of the incident to submit tips anonymously via Stanislaus Area Crime Stoppers.
This marks the first confirmed arson arrest in Newman since September 2023, when several homes under construction on Prince Street were destroyed by fire—an incident for which no suspect was ever identified.
