Vehicle Crash in Compton Causes Fire in Building

COMPTON (CNS) - A pickup truck was driven into a business in Compton this morning, causing both the vehicle and the building to catch fire, and investigators believe the crash was an intentional act of arson.

The crash happened around 2:45 a.m. at a strip mall at the intersection of Santa Fe Avenue and Pine Street, said the watch commander of the sheriff's Compton Station.

The driver of the pickup truck fled the scene and was not immediately apprehended, he said.

Both the pickup and the building caught fire, a news photographer reported from the scene.

The pickup bounced off of a metal roll-up door, minimizing damage to the building, according to the photographer. Downey firefighters put out the fires, he said.

The watch commander said investigators believe the crash was an intentional act of arson based on at least one previous incident involving the property, but he declined to elaborate, citing an ongoing investigation.

From City News Service