Santa Barbara Man Accused of Starting Loma Fire Ordered to Trial on Felony Arson Charges
Victor Angel Hernandez, 23, is suspected of starting blaze that charred 7 acres on Westside, including TV Hill
The Santa Barbara man accused of starting the 7-acre Loma Fire that burned the Westside neighorhood and TV Hill in May faces three arson-related felony counts after being ordered to trial in Santa Barbara County Superior Court. (Peter Hartmann / Noozhawk photo) By Jade Martinez-Pogue, Noozhawk Staff Writer | @MartinezPogue
July 26, 2021
| 4:59 p.m.
The District Attorney’s Office charged Victor Angel Hernandez, 23, with two counts of felony arson of an inhabited structure or property on Via Del Cielo (related to the Loma Fire) and on Loma Alta Drive (a charge stemming from an incident on June 14, 2020), and a felony count of attempt to burn for allegedly attempting to set a fire and burn a structure in the area of McKinley Elementary School between May 10 and May 20 of t
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He was arrested and booked into the County Jail on suspicion of arson, where he remained in custody Tuesday with bail set at $2 million.
He was charged Tuesday with five criminal counts, including two counts of felony arson of an inhabited structure or property on Via Del Cielo and on Loma Alta Drive, and a felony count of attempt to burn for allegedly attempting to set a fire and burn a structure in the area of McKinley Elementary School.
He also faces a special allegation for causing multiple structures to burn, according to the criminal complaint.
Officers arrest suspect in Loma Fire in Santa Barbara
May 22, 2021
By JOSH FRIEDMAN
Authorities arrested a suspected serial arsonist for starting the hillside fire in Santa Barbara Thursday night that damaged two homes, threatened the KEYT newsroom and led to hundreds of residents evacuating.
First reported burning in the TV Hill area, the Loma Fire spread rapidly on the hillside adjacent to Loma Alta Drive and burned seven acres. Officials ordered hundreds of residents to evacuate homes, and KEYT employees also evacuated their newsroom as flames came close to the building.
At about midnight, fire investigators noticed a suspicious person scrambling down the lower portion of the hill and hiding in the brush between Loma Alta Drive and West Ortega Street, according to the Santa Barbara Police Department.