NATIONAL CITY, Calif. — National City police arrested a man who could face charges of attempted homicide, elder abuse, child abuse, and arson after he set his ex-girlfriend's National City mobile home ablaze following a domestic dispute, according to officials.
National City Firefighters responded to reports of a structure fire around 4:03 a.m. on November 11 at the Happy Hollow Trailer Park in National City.
Happy Hollow Trailer Park, located in the 900 block of East Division Street, was described as an all-ages community of mobile homes in the Shelltown neighborhood of San Diego.
National City police officers first arrived on scene and discovered a car fully engulfed in flames along with two nearby structures, according to a press release shared with CBS 8.
During the investigation, officers learned that Juan Jose Rangal, a 33-year-old San Diego resident, intentionally set fire to his ex-girlfriend's car as part of a domestic dispute.
Rangal believed his ex-girlfriend, who is the mother of his child, was inside the home intentionally ignoring his repeated calls, according to National City police.
National City police later determined that the ex-girlfriend was inside her home, not answering Rangal's calls.
An 11-year-old girl believed to be Rangal's daughter and the victim's elderly aunt were also in the home when the car fire quickly overtook the mobile home.
Nine people, including those from nearby homes to which flames spread, were displaced by the fire, according to police.
Video from OnScene.TV showed a tight-knit community band together to provide warm coffee to displaced residents as they were left homeless in temperatures dipping below 40 degrees.
The suspect, Juan Jose Rangal, 33, was identified on surveillance camera committing the crime and allegedly self-incriminated himself on phone messages left on the victim's phone, according to police.
Rangal was arrested in San Diego the day after he was caught on camera setting the blaze, police said.
No severe injuries or fatalities were reported as a result of the blaze.
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