Authorities Friday arrested a 38-year-old man on suspicion of arson in connection with a series of intentionally set fires in the Highland Park area.
Javier Viera, who was previously convicted of arson crimes in the city of Pasadena, was taken into custody at his home this morning on an arrest warrant and booked on suspicion of arson of a structure, the Los Angeles Fire Department reported.
“On Nov. 10, LAFD investigators responded to a suspected arson fire in the 300 block of North Kirby Street, where they encountered … Viera at the scene,” LAFD spokesman Peter Sanders said.
“At the Kirby Street fire, investigators discovered a second intentionally set fire that had failed to spread at the base of a garage,” he said.
Viera was was already considered a suspect in a series of deliberately set trash container and vehicle fires in May in the Highland Park area, Sanders said.
He was being held on $1.58 million bail.
“Arson is a serious crime and we have zero-tolerance for willful acts of destruction in the city of Los Angeles,” said LAFD Chief Ralph M. Terrazas.
“We are thankful there were no injuries or lives lost as a result of these fires and we will always investigate and prosecute the serious crime of arson to the fullest extent of the law,” Terrazas said.
