One Arrested After Gasoline Poured On Tent, Occupants Threatened

Patrol officers arrested a man and are seeking additional witnesses after a suspect poured gasoline on an occupied tent in Cecilia Ravine Park and threatened to set it on fire this morning.

At 8:30 a.m. this morning Patrol officers were called to Cecilia Ravine Park in the 400-block of Burnside Road for a report that a man had poured gasoline on an occupied tent and threatened to light it on fire while holding a blow torch.

The tent was occupied by a woman and her dog at the time of the incident. Patrol officers attended and located the suspect in Cecilia Ravine Park.

Officers arrested the man for assault with a weapon, mischief, and uttering threats. No one was injured. The suspect was transported to cells at VicPD where he was held to await court.

This incident is believed to be related to a report earlier this morning, at approximately 6:30 a.m., when officers were called to the same area of the park for a report that a man was struck by a bat with spikes on it.

Officers attended to that incident and arrested a man for assault with a weapon, who was transported to cells and released with a court date and conditions.

The victim was transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, cleared medically, and then returned to the park where he is believed to have become the suspect in the second incident. This incident is still under investigation.