Man claimed 2 Middle Eastern men set him on fire and stole his car — but Sutter County investigators said it was a lie
YUBA CITY — A man who claimed two Middle Eastern men zip-tied and set him on fire before stealing his car in Yuba City was arrested for filing a false police report, authorities said Thursday.
The Sutter County Sheriff's Office said Aurelio Guzman-Hernandez, 33, was arrested Thursday.
On Dec. 7, dispatchers received a call from a man later identified as Guzman-Hernandez who stated his vehicle had been stolen. When the deputies arrived, Guzman-Hernandez told them he had been the victim of an assault and was burned.
According to the sheriff's office, Guzman-Hernandez claimed he was flagged down by a woman who was near a black SUV along the side of a road. He told authorities that when he got out of his vehicle to see if the woman needed help, two Middle Eastern men exited the SUV — one with a gun and the other with a knife.
Guzman-Hernandez claimed the two men zip-tied his legs, doused him with gasoline and set him on fire. He said he had to roll around on the ground to put out the flames.
In addition to his vehicle, Guzman-Hernandez reported to the deputies that the two men and the woman also got away with his wallet. The sheriff's office said Guzman-Hernandez's vehicle was located several miles away from his location.
On Dec. 22, investigators said they determined none of the alleged events had happened and there was no sufficient evidence a crime actually occurred.
The sheriff's office said it conducted the investigation with the assistance of a Chico FBI agent.