East Bay Man Charged with Firebombing UC Berkeley Patrol Car

An East Bay man, Casey Robert Goonan, has been charged with multiple federal offenses following an alleged firebombing incident involving a patrol car on the University of California, Berkeley campus. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California announced the charges on Friday, detailing that Goonan, 34, has connections to Oakland and Pleasant Hill. The incident occurred on June 1, when Goonan reportedly used Molotov cocktails to target the vehicle. Goonan faces serious charges, including maliciously damaging property belonging to an institution receiving federal financial assistance and possession of an unregistered firearm. He pleaded not guilty to the charges during a court appearance on Friday morning. According to the indictment, Goonan arrived on campus in the early hours with a shopping bag containing six Molotov cocktails, which he placed under the patrol car's fuel tank before igniting them. Authorities have credited the swift actions of police officers for averting a potential explosion, although the patrol vehicle was ultimately deemed a total loss. If convicted, Goonan could face significant prison time, with a maximum of 20 years for each arson charge and up to 10 years for the firearm possession charge. Currently, he is being held without bail at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, with his next court date set for September 17.