Addison man accused of setting car on fire right next to occupied apartment building
ADDISON, Ill. (CBS) -- Bond was set at $500,000 Thursday for an Addison man police say set a car on fire just feet from an occupied apartment building.
DuPage County Judge Daniel Guerin set the bond Thursday morning for Ernesto Hernandez, 34, according to the DuPage County State's Attorney's office. Hernandez is charged with one count of aggravated arson.
Around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, the Addison Fire Protection District was called to the 100 block of South Villa Avenue – where a car was on fire. Addison police soon learned Hernandez had been the one to set the 2007 Mazda 3 ablaze – lighting a paper napkin doused with STP motor oil and throwing it into the open window of the car, prosecutors said.
The fire seriously damaged both the car and the apartment building, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors did not specify a motive for setting the car on fire, but said the car belonged to an acquaintance of Hernandez's.
Around 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Addison police pulled over Hernandez as he drove out of the apartment complex, and arrested him on the spot, prosecutors said.
To say the allegations against Mr. Hernandez are extremely disturbing would be an understatement," DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a news release. "The type of dangerous, life-threatening behavior alleged in this case will not be tolerated in DuPage County and will be aggressively prosecuted. We are extremely grateful that no innocent people were injured or worse as a result of Mr. Hernandez's alleged actions."
Hernandez is due back in court Aug. 30.
