Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor MONROVIA – A suspect was arrested Monday in connection with a two-alarm commercial fire that forced the evacuation of surrounding businesses.
First responders were dispatched to the 1100 block of South Mountain Avenue around 5:09 p.m. and discovered pallets and boxes burning to the rear of a warehouse, which was also fully engulfed, according to the Monrovia Police Department. Witnesses alerted police to a suspicious person seen leaving the scene and a description and direction of travel was provided. The suspect was spotted several blocks away in Duarte, according to the Monrovia Police Department. “When officers attempted contact, the suspect immediately fled into a large business park,” according to the Monrovia Police Department in a written statement. A perimeter search conducted by Monrovia officers, as well as officers from nearby cities, revealed the hiding suspect. Witnesses identified the suspect. “He hasn’t officially been charged yet. They’re still working on things,” according to Sgt. Chad Harvey of the Monrovia Police Department. The suspect, who Harvey declined to identify at this time, would likely be facing charges including arson and obstructing an officer. The search lasted roughly 20 to 30 minutes before the suspect was found. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - A multi-agency investigation into a 2017 arson fire led to the arrest of suspects accused of intentionally setting a building fire to collect insurance money, authorities said Tuesday. Alan Sosa, 39, Delmy Diaz, 40, and Daniel Garcia, 40, had 10 felony counts filed against them March 25, including conspiracy to commit arson, arson of a structure, arson of property, conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, and using a device to accelerate a fire, according to information released by the City of Pasadena. The charges are the result of a 17-month investigation by the Verdugo Fire Investigation Task Force. Five people were initially arrested at five different locations during a coordinated search warrant served March 21, authorities said.
The arson fire was set at Kustom Built in Monrovia, 900 S. Magnolia Ave., October 9, 2017. Five businesses were housed in the building, authorities said. More than $200,000 in insurance claims were filed for vehicles damaged. Insurance adjusters arrived to the estimated $4.5 million by including the total loss to the building, authorities said. Sosa is being held at the Inmate Reception Center in lieu of $425,000 bail. Garcia is being held at Men’s Central Jail in lieu of $1.425 million bail. Diaz is being held in Century Regional Detention Facility in lieu of $425,000 bail. The charges were filed by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. All three suspects are scheduled for an appearance in Pomona Superior Court April 11. Involved in the operation were investigators and officers from the Pasadena Fire Department, Pasadena Police Department, Arcadia Fire Department, United States Marshals Service, Los Angeles City Fire Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, National Insurance Crime Bureau, California Department of Insurance, and the Los Angeles Taskforce for Regional Autotheft Prevention (TRAP). |
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