Fire and Police personnel responded to a fire in the 1600 block of E. Washington at approximately 1:20 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 20, 2015. Firefighters extinguished the structure fire and, during the subsequent investigation, found that the fire was deliberately set after a man had made threats to kill the owners of the business. The long standing extortions were finally enacted when Karnik Kendrian, 48, smashed the business window, doused the interior with gasoline and set fire to Cal Water.
On Friday, November 20, 2015, at approximately 11 a.m., Pasadena Police Department in partnership with the Pasadena Fire Department arrested Karnik Kendrian for attempted murder and arson after he broke out a window and ignited a gas container inside Cal Water in the 1600 block of E. Washington Blvd. in the East Village area of Pasadena. Damage to the building was estimated at $50,000.
No one was injured as a result of the fire although the owners are understandably very disturbed by the arsonist’s attempt to destroy not only the business but their lives.
Kendrian, ironically, was out on bond being arrested for criminal threats (made to the owners at Cal Water) as well as felony evading after a police pursuit on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2015.
Arson investigators are handling the case in conjunction with Pasadena Police major crimes.
