A 29-year-old North Bay man is behind bars after a sprawling search near the Mendocino County line in connection with a string of arsons around Cloverdale. Deputies say the suspect, identified as Luke Deramo, was arrested about a mile south of where a vegetation fire had just been reported.
According to investigators, the arrest came shortly after reports that a man had emerged from thick brush, climbed onto a woman's pickup, and vandalized it with a rock. Not long after that confrontation, a nearby blaze was called in.
Follow-up Search Leads Deputies To Geyser Road
Deputies with the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office were already in the area running a follow-up investigation along Geyser Road near the Mendocino County line when the situation escalated, according to CBS News.
Roughly 30 minutes after deputies began their checks, a woman parked along the roadway called 911 to report a man emerging from the brush and climbing onto the bed of her truck. Deputies say he then used a rock to damage the vehicle. Sonoma County deputies, Cloverdale police and Cal Fire crews flooded the area searching for the suspect, and a vegetation fire was reported in the same general area where he was last seen.
Cloverdale Has Seen Arson Arrests Before
Cloverdale is no stranger to arson probes. In June 2025, a brush fire at Cloverdale River Park ended with an arrest after firefighters spotted a man walking away from the scene, according to The Press Democrat.
Charges, Bail And Next Steps
Deramo was booked into the Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of multiple felony arsons. A judge granted a bail enhancement request, setting his bail at $1.121 million, CBS News reported. Jail records show he remains in custody, with a court appearance scheduled for Thursday.
Investigators say the case remains very much active and are asking anyone with information to contact the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office. Officials have not released further details on property damage or possible motives, and the investigation is ongoing.
