Arsonist Convicted In Torching Of Several Vehicles In The Bay Area: Prosecutors

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Jurors have convicted a man accused of starting several car fires over the course of a week in San Francisco last year, prosecutors said.

Armando Salvador, 63, was found guilty of eight counts of arson and two counts of unlawfully causing a fire, the San Francisco District Attorney's Office announced Friday.

“The jury’s verdict holds Mr. Salvador accountable and ensures that he will face consequences for his crimes,” San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said Friday. “This case demonstrates how public safety agencies working together with community partners can keep our neighborhoods safe for residents, workers, and visitors."

Prosecutors say Salvador set eight cars on fire the morning of Feb. 18, 2024, starting at Campton Place and in the area of Geary and O'Farrell streets.

The following week, he set two Tesla Model Ys on fire at the intersection of Mabini and Bonifacio streets, prosecutors said. That fire was so large that it spread to two other cars nearby, prosecutors said.

Salvador was identified as a suspect after the Union Square Alliance and other community members turned over videos connected with the fires to the San Francisco Police Department, police said.

It's unclear why Salvador set the fires. Salvador is currently in custody and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 27.