Mountain View woman charged in connection with Carmel Valley Zen center fire.

The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday, June 2, that 36-year-old GuoGuo Lu of Mountain View was issued a Ramey warrant in connection with the investigation of the fire at the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center in Carmel Valley that occurred on March 27.

According to the statement and Napa County booking information, Lu is currently being held at the Napa County Jail, where she was booked on March 28, the day after the fire, for fleeing and eluding a police officer and felony reckless evading of a police officer, with the bail set at $50,000. She is awaiting extradition to Monterey County. 

In Monterey County, Lu is facing charges of committing a felony hate crime and arson, among others, with her bail set at $130,000.

“While this is difficult news, we are sustained by our vow to uphold the Bodhisattva Way and meet the causes and conditions surrounding the zendo fire with wisdom and compassion as they become known,” said Rev. Tenzen David Zimmerman on the center’s blog. “May the individual allegedly responsible receive the care and support they need while also being held accountable for their actions. May all beings be safe, at peace, and free of suffering.”

In the statement, the Monterey County Sheriff's Office expressed its gratitude to fire personnel and “to staff and faculty at the Tassajara Zen Center who acted quickly during the fire. Their bravery, diligence, observations, and continued cooperation throughout this investigation helped protect lives, preserve important information, and move the investigation forward.”

Through their investigation of the incident, deputies with the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office reportedly located public online statements connecting Lu to the fire and making threats of future violence directed toward other Buddhist temples in California. 

“The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to protecting every member of our community and ensuring that all people can safely practice their faith without fear of violence, intimidation, or threats,” Sheriff Tina Nieto said in the statement. “We take allegations involving crimes motivated by bias or hatred very seriously and will continue to work diligently to investigate these incidents and hold those responsible accountable under the law.” 

The Weekly was unable to reach Lu; no information about her defense counsel has yet been entered into the Monterey County Superior Court system.