SALINAS >> A Salinas man is headed to prison after multiple incidents involving attacking people and property.

Luis Carranza Torres, 40, was sentenced to three years and eight months in state prison for arson, and spraying a woman in the face with tear gas in a separate incident.

On June 26, 2024 a Salinas woman saw Carranza Torres in her apartment complex parking lot, which is not open to the public. She took a picture of his car, and in response he sprayed her in the eyes and face with pepper spray. According to the District Attorney’s Office, Carranza Torres is a convicted felon who is not allowed to possess tear gas or pepper spray.

On Jan. 7 this year, Torres lit a shopping cart on fire at approximately 11:35 p.m. in downtown Salinas, according to a press release. Among other items, the cart contained a propane tank, which exploded with “such ferocity” that it activated the city’s ShotSpotter system, which continuously scans for sounds of gunshots. Carranza Torres told police he lit the fire because the cart’s owner owed him $20.

The arson charge is considered a strike offense within California’s Three Strike Law.