By Sara Beth Williams–
A Rancho Cordova man is in custody following an early morning vehicle fire that investigators are treating as an arson, according to the Citrus Heights Police Department.
Officers responded just before 4:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 11, to reports of a house fire in the 6500 block of Thalia Way. Upon arrival, officers determined the fire involved a vehicle parked in a backyard, not a structure, police said. The vehicle was unoccupied.
A neighbor initially reported that the blaze was threatening nearby homes, but officers clarified that the fire was confined to the vehicle and did not endanger surrounding structures. The fire was extinguished without incident. No injuries were reported.
Citrus Heights Police Sgt. Eric Dias said officers immediately began investigating the fire as suspicious. Through investigative work conducted early that morning, officers identified a suspect vehicle and suspect.
The suspect, a man from Rancho Cordova, was later found and taken into custody through an arraignment warrant. Police also obtained a search warrant later in the day and uncovered additional evidence related to the suspected arson of the vehicle, police said.
According to investigators, the suspect and the victim in the case whose vehicle was ignited are business partners. Police said the victim reported prior threats to damage property, as well as previous attempts in recent weeks.
The suspect, who is from Rancho Cordova, was arrested sometime after 1 p.m. on Wednesday, authorities said. The investigation remains ongoing.
