A woman has been taken into custody after surveillance footage revealed her igniting a blaze in a porta potty at a Westside church, leading to arson charges, according to officials.
Early morning calls around 4 a.m. alerted the San Antonio Fire Department and San Antonio Police to an active fire at PV Ministries. The prompt response allowed crews to quickly extinguish the flames, which had damaged a ministry building. Initially, the cause of the fire eluded fire investigators, as reported by WLOS.
Upon reviewing the video, a staff member from the ministry recognized the suspect, subsequently identified as Samantha Berlanga, 39, and urgently contacted police. A detailed review of the surveillance video from the church's system, later obtained by KENS 5, captures Berlanga spending several minutes inside the porta potty, with smoke visibly pouring out. She is seen intermittently opening the door, either to fuel the fire or catch a breath.
The footage went on to show Berlanga stepping out and appearing to intentionally kneel down to ensure the fire was still active. Within five minutes of her departure, the fire had escalated, catching the adjacent building alight. When police apprehended her later, they discovered clothing in her backpack that matched the outfit she was wearing in the video, as per WLOS coverage. The evidence has led to her being charged with arson and held on a $50,000 bond.
Associate Pastor James Villarreal of Family Christian Center Church, reflecting on the incident, expressed his disbelief and concern. "I mean, why would this happen? You know, how did it happen?" he told KENS 5. Despite the unsettling event, Villarreal conveyed a message of forgiveness and indicated that the church plans on rebuilding the damaged structure.
Berlanga is now awaiting her March pre-hearing in Bexar County Jail, as the justice system prepares to to follow through on the ramifications of her alleged actions.
