Drone used to find man suspected of setting brush fires in Murrieta

A person was situated with a drone and arrested after allegedly beginning brush fires in Murrieta, the Murrieta Police Department mentioned.

Murrieta Fire & Rescue responded on Friday, March 15 to a report of a number of fires set close to a residential space on Clearview Street and Whitewood Road in Murrieta, police mentioned in an announcement Friday, March 22.

Firefighters arrived round 4:03 p.m. and extinguished the fires.

Murrieta Police officers established a fringe round the place the suspected arsonist was final seen operating, Friday’s assertion mentioned.

The space, described as having overgrown brush surrounded by houses, is a part of Riverside County’s wildlife conservation space, which has been put aside for defense of native vegetation and animals, police mentioned.

The Murrieta Police Department Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Team used a drone to scan the realm for the arson suspect, and located somebody crawling in a brush, Friday’s assertion mentioned.

UAS personnel directed officers the place to seek out the suspect and he was arrested, police mentioned.

“Murrieta Fire & Rescue Fire Investigators confirmed that a number of fires had been deliberately set, and no further particulars will likely be launched right now,” Mike Macalinao, a fireplace investigator with Murrieta Fire & Rescue, mentioned.

The arrested suspect was described by police as a transient and was arrested on suspicion of arson and resisting, delaying or obstructing authorities,  Friday’s assertion mentioned.

Anyone with further data can contact Detective Kris Spencer at (951) 461-6404 or Sergeant Miguel Garcia at (951) 461-6362.