Santa Cruz Sentinel
Friday, February 12th, 1971
By CLIFF JOHNSON
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Army recruiting station, 1729 Seabright Ave., was firebombed at 3:38 a.m. today, causing an estimated $5,000 damage to the office and an undetermined amount of smoke and heat damage to other offices in the building, according to city fire Chief Ted McEwen.
The alleged arsonist was caught almost immediately by a city policeman who was about 100 yards away when the gasoline device exploded, Police Lt. Charles Scherer said. Patrolman Merlyn Ellis arrived at the intersection of Soquel and Seabright Avenues in time to see a car speed away from the smashed door of the burning building. He gave chase and stopped the vehicle at Broadway and Ocean Street.
Booked on charges of possession of an explosing device was Douglas Paul Yamamoto, 22, 208 Park Place, a fourth year UCSC philosophy student. Chief McEwen said Ellis found a quantity of rocks, gasoline soaked rags and fuel in the back of Yamamoto's car.
During booking, police found "red books"-- quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung, and clippings about the Maoist movement in Yamamoto's possession, Scherer said.
Army SFC G. A. Nicholass, county recruiter, today told The Sentinel his station would be open as usual, using a mobile unit from San Jose which will be parked in front of the burned-out office.
"This has created a little inconvenience," Sgt. Nicholass said. "We lost no records -- they are sealed in fireproof containers."
Yamamoto is in city jail under $2,500 bail awaiting action from the district attorney. The four-day weekend is observed by the state and county, and the courts will not convene until Tuesday.
Desk officer Bert Witte said he has received numerous calls from UCSC students who expressed concern about Yamamoto's rights.
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