Man Suspected Of Setting His Car On Fire In Front Of Indio Courthouse Arrested

INDIO, CA — A 41-year-old man was arrested Saturday on suspicion of arson after a vehicle caught fire in front of a courthouse.

Officers from the Indio Police Department along with the California Department of Forestry responded to the Larson Justice Center, at 46200 Oasis St., in Indio, to a report of a vehicle fire around 1 a.m. Saturday.

Police said the vehicle was found fully engulfed in flames near the entrance of the building but no individuals were found in or around it. CDF firefighters extinguished the fire and determined it was intentionally set, prompting arson investigators to assume the investigation.

Around 3:30 a.m., Indio PD officers responded to a gas station in the 82000 block of Indio Boulevard regarding a report of a man with a firearm who refused to leave the premises, police said.

Officers responded and detained the suspect, identified as Jose Leon Espinoza, who was allegedly carrying an unloaded handgun, according to the IPD. Espinoza's city of residence was not provided.

Espinoza was identified as the registered owner of the burned vehicle, police said. Investigators believe he set the fire.

Espinoza was later booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility on suspicion of multiple felony charges related to arson. He was being held on a $500,000 bail and was expected to appear in court on Wednesday at the Indio Larson Justice Center -- where his vehicle was found in flames.

Anyone with additional information was encouraged to contact the CDF at 760-347-2480.

— City News Service