Deputies arrest man suspected of igniting Spring Valley brush fire

City News Service
Posted

SAN DIEGO (CNS) - A 35-year-old man suspected of setting a 5-acre fire that threatened homes in the eastern San Diego County community of Spring Valley was arrested, authorities said Tuesday.

The fire was reported just after 6:30 p.m. Monday near the Spring Valley Swap Meet in the 6000 block of Quarry Road, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Office.

A witness called sheriff's dispatch to report seeing a man use a lighter to ignite a palm tree, sheriff's officials said.

The fire began to spread and deputies from the Rancho San Diego Sheriff's Station ordered the evacuation of residents of the Spring Canyon Townhomes, in the 8800 block of Spring Canyon Drive, officials said.

Meanwhile, California Highway Patrol officers and sheriff's deputies searched for the suspect on the ground and with a drone in a riverbed behind Quarry Road. The drone operator located the suspect and tracked him until a helicopter took over and guided deputies to an area near the interchange of state Routes 125 and 54 where he was arrested.

The suspect was identified as Miguel Hernandez, sheriff's officials said. Deputies found he had several butane torches and drug paraphernalia and an outstanding felony arrest warrant for identity theft.

Hernandez was booked into the San Diego Central Jail for suspicion of arson and drug charges and the felony warrant, officials said.

The fire was put out without any structures damaged and people were allowed to return to their homes, sheriff's officials said.