Arson - Lemon Grove 

July 4, 2023 - San Diego County Sheriff’s Department officials report that a man is behind bars on suspicion of setting a house on fire in Lemon Grove.

It happened on Sunday, July 2 around 3:00 p.m. at a home in the 1500 block of Taft Street. Deputies from the Lemon Grove Sheriff's Substation responded to the scene. Heartland Fire & Rescue and other neighboring fire agencies worked together to put out the fire.

During the preliminary investigation, deputies located a man in the backyard of the home with a puncture wound to his right leg. A deputy applied a tourniquet to the victim's leg and got him to safety. He was taken to a hospital for further treatment.

Deputies learned Mario "Marina" Milton (DOB: 07/22/1994) assaulted the victim and lit the house on fire with a torch. The Sheriff's Bomb/Arson Unit was called in to assist with the investigation.

While firefighters were mopping up the fire, a dog was found deceased inside the home. The fire caused major damage to the garage and living room.

Milton was arrested on numerous charges, including arson, assault with a deadly weapon and cruelty to animals.

The Sheriff's Bomb/Arson Unit is a regional resource that investigates fires involving suspicious circumstances, serious injuries, and death.

Source & photo: San Diego County Sheriff’s Department