Stepping On The Story Line

I'm not sure I like this emerging narrative that a homeless person might have set the UP trestle alight last March as revenge for harrassment for camping along the American River:

A source close to the probe, who does not wish to be identified because he is not authorized to speak publicly on the subject, said Moran-Marques told other homeless people that he set the fire in retaliation for police and park ranger harassment of transients and frequent raids on transient camps, some of which are near the trestle.

Sacramento County spokeswoman Chris Andis said park rangers have cited Moran-Marques several times for camping in the American River Parkway, although it doesn't appear he has been cited this year. Andis said one of the citations was for camping on the south side of the American River near Northgate Boulevard, about a mile from the trestle, which is on the north side of the river.

The March 15 fire, which sent a plume of black smoke billowing thousands of feet into the air, interrupted freight and passenger rail service throughout the area. It consumed heavy-duty trestle timber and tracks west of the Capital City Freeway near Cal Expo.

Thursday's indictment charges Moran-Marques with lying when he was questioned on May 15 as to where he was "at or about the time of the commencement of a fire that occurred on March 15, 2007, in the Arden area of Sacramento."

I felt that the trestle fire was a genuine act of terrorism, calculated to make maximum impact during the evening rush hour commute along the Capitol City Freeway. Well, I suppose "retaliation for police and park ranger harassment of transients and frequent raids on transient camps" might be construed as political, but it also might be petty, or just demented.

Somehow, I hope it's not true....