Arson in Spring Valley
May 28, 2026 – San Diego County Sheriff’s Office officials report that a man has been arrested on suspicion of deliberately setting a fire that temporarily threatened homes in Spring Valley.
On Monday, May 25, just after 6:30 p.m., a Spring Valley resident called the Sheriff's Communications Center to report seeing a man use a lighter to ignite a palm tree near the Spring Valley Swap Meet located in the 6000 block of Quarry Road.
The fire prompted deputies from the Rancho San Diego Sheriff's Station to conduct evacuations of residents living at Spring Canyon Townhomes located along the 8800 block of Spring Canyon Drive. At the same time, deputies and officers from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) searched the surrounding area for the arson suspect.
During the search, deputies launched an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to try and locate the suspect in a riverbed behind Quarry Road. The UAV operator was able to locate the suspect and tracked him as he moved south towards the Sweetwater Dam. The UAV followed the suspect until a Sheriff's ASTREA helicopter arrived in the area. Deputies were then able to arrest the suspect near the State Route 125 and State Route 54 interchange.
The suspect was identified as Miguel Hernandez (35). A search of Hernandez revealed he was in possession of several butane torches and drug paraphernalia. He also had an outstanding felony arrest warrant for identity theft. Hernandez was booked into the San Diego Central Jail on arson and drug charges, as well as for being arrested on a felony warrant.
Thanks to the quick work of our firefighting partners, including San Migue Fire & Rescue, the fire was extinguished and affected residents were allowed to return home. No structures were damaged.
Deputies from the San Diego Sheriff's Bomb Arson Unit responded to the incident and took over the arson investigation.
The San Diego County Sheriff Office's UAV program allows deputies to attend a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved certification course. Once certified, UAV operators can quickly deploy UAV's in the field to assist with searches for evidence items or suspects, as well as documenting crime scenes and assisting in search and rescue operations.
A reminder: if you see something, say something. Report any suspicious activity by calling the San Diego County Sheriff's Office at (858) 868-3200. In an emergency, immediately call 9-1-1.
Source & photo: San Diego County Sheriff’s Office
