Jury Finds Man Found Guilty Of Setting Elmhurst BMW Dealership Fire

WHEATON, IL — A 41-year-old Addison man has been found guilty of setting fire to an Elmhurst BMW dealership in 2022 and now faces sentencing on two counts of felony arson, prosecutors announced on Friday.

Dario Salas will be sentenced on June 22 after a jury found him guilty on two counts of arson in connection with the 2022 fire after 2 ½ hours of deliberation on Thursday, the DuPage County State’s Attorney Office announced on Friday.

Investigators tied Salas to the April 13, 2022 blaze at the dealership, which is located in the 500 block of Lake Avenue in Elmhurst. Firefighters responded to a call of a fire at the dealership at 1:14 a.m. and investigators determined that shortly after 1 a.m., Salas entered the dealership and approached the Audi vehicles parked in the west parking lot.

Salas then poured gasoline on a black Audi set the vehicle on fire and then left the parking lot, investigators said. Salas was quickly identified as a suspect in the case and was taken into custody after Elmhurst police officers located him in Addison less than two hours later.

“Yesterday afternoon, a jury found Mr. Salas guilty of intentionally setting fire to an Audi, totally destroying the vehicle, causing severe damage to two nearby vehicles and endangering the dealership as well surrounding businesses,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said. “Thankfully, the Elmhurst Fire Department was able to contain the fire and minimize damage to the dealership. I thank Judge McPherson for ensuring a fair trial for both sides as well as the jury for their service.”

Salas has been in the DuPage County Jail since April 22, 2022, after a judge set bond at $200,000 with 10 percent to apply.