A suspected serial arsonist has been arrested in connection with a series of fires in the San Fernando Valley, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
On the evening of Oct. 20, the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to about a dozen vehicle and structure fires in the area of Ventura Boulevard and Kester Street.
Officials determined the fires to be arson.
LAPD’s Major Crimes Division launched an investigation and identified 42-year-old Ricardo Villanueva from Van Nuys as the suspect. Villanueva was detained for an unrelated traffic violation Wednesday by Van Nuys patrol officers and was identified from a wanted flyer prepared by Major Crimes Division detectives, authorities said.
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Villanueva was taken into custody and is currently being held at the Valley Jail.
He was arrested on suspicion of arson for the October fires and was jailed on $230,000 bond.
The arrest comes following a series of arsons in Sherman Oaks Tuesday night into Wednesday. Authorities are currently investigating whether Villanueva is also connected to this week's fire spree.
