Arson arrest for SF couple accused of torching relative’s car in San Mateo

SAN MATEO >> Two San Francisco residents were arrested last week on suspicion that they sought to settle a family dispute by pouring gasoline into the back of a relative’s car in San Mateo and torching the vehicle, apparently in full view of surveillance cameras in both cities, authorities said.

The car fire was reported at 2 a.m. on Dec. 28 in a driveway on North Idaho Street in San Mateo, according to San Mateo police.

The vehicle’s owner told police that a week earlier, she was in an argument with her stepsister Amber Gonser and Gonser’s boyfriend, Kristopher Jones, and that Gonser had continued to harass her.

Police said they gathered surveillance video from around the site of the fire and obtained footage allegedly showing Jones breaking the right rear passenger window of the victim’s car, reaching inside and pouring gasoline from a plastic jug, followed allegedly by Gonser lighting a fire and fleeing. The plastic jug reportedly was left behind.

On Tuesday, San Mateo police went to Gonser and Jones’ Fell Street home in San Francisco to serve search warrants and arrest them in connection with the fire. While there, police said, they obtained more incriminating security footage from down the street.

“Detective canvassed the area and found a gas station nearby that had video surveillance of Gonser and Jones filling a plastic jug with gasoline just one hour before the fire,” according to a San Mateo police news release.

Both suspects were arrested on suspicion of felony arson and vandalism. Jail records show Jones is being held at the San Mateo County jail on $25,000 bail, but they do not show any current record of Gonser being in custody.