A peculiar sequence of events transpired following a fiery incident near the Chatsworth Reservoir, as a collective of neighbors embarked on a pursuit of a man believed to be the perpetrator of a brush fire on a Monday afternoon. This pursuit culminated in the apprehension of the suspect, Alejandro Martinez, 41, who was subsequently held by vigilant residents until the arrival of Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies on the scene. Martinez was arrested on charges of arson by the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department.
Video footage captured by journalist Gabe Cortez and shared on Instagram showcased a dramatic scene of a man fleeing on foot while being chased by a convoy of residents in vehicles. Some members of the pursuing group managed to physically restrain Martinez. Upon his arrival at the scene, Cortez observed that firefighters were already extinguishing the blaze, but his attention was soon drawn to the group of vehicles tailing the suspect along the road.
Describing the scene, Cortez recounted, “He was avoiding the group following him. He seemed to be telling them to pass him up. And then you can see in my video that someone started to chase him and he appeared scared.” Upon the deputies’ arrival, Martinez was found lying on the ground, where eyewitnesses stated that he surrendered and complied by lying down.
As Martinez was being handcuffed by the deputies, a bystander remarked, “Wrong neighborhood, buddy.” The group of residents asserted that they had observed Martinez setting fire to brush near Knapp Ranch Road and Woolsey Canyon Road before tracking him in a vehicle as he attempted to flee the area.
Residents shared video evidence with Cortez, captured on their smartphones, purportedly showing Martinez igniting the brush near their residences. Cortez expressed gratitude that the circumstances were not exacerbated by strong winds, noting the heightened awareness and vigilance within communities in light of recent fire incidents.
The Sheriff’s Department disclosed that a suspect clad in dark attire was sighted in the vicinity around the time of the fire’s ignition. The individual who reported the incident pursued the suspect in a car as he allegedly attempted to start a second fire, as per reports from news station KNBC-TV. Subsequently, the Sheriff’s Department clarified that witnesses had only observed Martinez setting one fire.
Following the report of smoke near the reservoir, the Los Angeles Fire Department swiftly responded to the 24000 block of Woolsey Canyon Road prior to 4:30 p.m. The initial assessment indicated a spot fire measuring 50-by-50 feet, as detailed by LAFD spokesperson Lyndsey Lantz. Through coordinated efforts on the ground and from the air, firefighters successfully contained the blaze with additional support from the L.A. County Fire Department.
Martinez is presently in custody at the Lost Hills sheriff’s station on a $75,000 bail. Authorities noted the existence of an outstanding warrant for Martinez’s arrest but refrained from furnishing further details
