A vigilant citizen noticed a man setting a vegetation fire with a flare near the busy intersection of Admiral Callaghan Lane and Turner Parkway, according to a Vallejo Fire Department Facebook post. Springing into action, the citizen tracked the arsonist as he crossed the street to a black Tesla.
(Vallejo PD)
Before the perpetrator could flee, the Vallejo resident confronted him and physically removed him from the vehicle. It wasn't long before the arsonist discovered he was facing a trained mixed martial artist, who efficiently subdued him with a double armbar on the 900 block of Admiral Callaghan Lane.
Vallejo Police Officers promptly arrived on the scene and arrested the criminal. Meanwhile, the Vallejo Fire Department battled the blaze, successfully extinguishing the vegetation fire that had already ravaged an estimated 15 acres (approximately 11 football fields) of land.
Thanks to the combined efforts of the quick-thinking resident and the local fire department, further destruction of businesses and residences was prevented. As police investigated the incident, they confirmed that the arsonist had indeed started the fire based on witness statements and video footage.
The story took an interesting turn during the investigation. Vallejo officers discovered that the suspect's Tesla had been stolen from Fremont and found more flares within the car. After being read his Miranda Rights, the arsonist admitted to both igniting the vegetation fire and stealing the Tesla.
As the fire department said in their Facebook post, "Thank you to the vigilant community member that stepped into action and helped prevent an arsonist from destroying our community! And thank you, Vallejo Fire Department, for risking your lives and defeating a vegetation fire that easily could have destroyed businesses and residences!"
