Juan Manuel Sierra-Leyva, an undocumented immigrant, was arrested in connection with multiple fires near Calabasas, California. The suspect was seen carrying a blowtorch and riding a bicycle with a propane tank or flamethrower, and was accused of starting a fire behind a car, which residents helped extinguish. Sierra-Leyva was detained after a citizens’ arrest, although authorities later said there wasn’t enough evidence to charge him with arson. He faces probation violations,
and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement may request his detainment, but California’s sanctuary laws complicate this. The fires, including the fatal Kenneth Fire, have caused widespread destruction in Los Angeles, destroying homes of several celebrities. The LAPD continues its investigation, with more fires potentially sparked by arson or other causes.
