Police cruiser in Merced County firebombed. Suspect remains at large, officers say

Gustine police say one of their patrol cars was firebombed at the police station early Friday, and they are searching for the person responsible.

An officer found the front end of the car in flames around 3 a.m. and called in a firefighter to put it out, according to a Facebook post from the Gustine Police Department in Merced County.

When police reviewed surveillance video, they saw a person toss a lighted match or incendiary device toward the right passenger side of the car before running south on 6th Street. A ball of fire is seen on the video, police say.

The cruiser was not in service at the time, and no one was injured.

The suspect is described as possibly a male wearing a light-colored hoodie with the hood over his head and dark-colored pants.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 209-854-3737. All tips will remain confidential.

This story was originally published November 16, 2019 at 8:19 AM.