Man Suspected of Igniting Fire Near Equestrian Center in Trabuco Canyon

A Modjeska Canyon man accused of setting a fire near the Santiago Equestrian Center in Trabuco Canyon also faces multiple charges of vandalism and resisting arrest, court records obtained today show.

Martin David Weel, 39, was charged Friday with arson of a structure, with a sentence-enhancing allegation of use of an acceleration device, throwing a substance or missile with intent to do serious bodily harm and three counts of vandalism, all felonies.

He was also charged with two misdemeanor counts of vandalism, and a single count each of resisting arrest and hit-and-run with property damage, according to court records.

Weel, who’s being held on $525,000 bail, pleaded not guilty Monday and is due back in court on Thursday for a pretrial hearing.

Firefighters responded just before 6:30 a.m. Aug. 27 to a blaze along Santiago Canyon Road, across from the entrance to the equestrian center, according to Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi.

Investigators later zeroed in on Weel, who was already in custody on the vandalism charges, and arrested him on suspicion of arson following a jailhouse interview, Concialdi said.

Details of the vandalism and resisting arrest allegations were not immediately available.

-City News Service

PHOTO Courtesy the Orange County Fire Authority.

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