Transient Sentenced In Hollywood Arson Fire

LOS ANGELES, CA — A transient was sentenced Tuesday to four years in state prison for setting a fire that destroyed an apartment complex that was under construction in the Hollywood area.

Benicio Garcia, 22, was immediately sentenced following his no contest plea to two counts of arson of a structure stemming from the June 12, 2017, blaze, which destroyed the apartment complex that was being built in the 400 block of North Helitrope Drive and damaged two other structures.

A firefighter was injured battling the blaze, which broke out at about 6 a.m. that day and took about 45 minutes to extinguish.

Garcia was seen by witnesses outside the building during the fire, and he was arrested at the scene, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

He has remained behind bars since then, according to jail records.

City News Service