Suspect In LA County's Serial Church Fires Arrested

LOS ANGELES, CA — Police arrested a 25-year-old man suspected of terrorizing Los Angeles County with a string of church fires, authorities announced Friday.

The Inter-Agency House of Worship Task Force set up to investigate the fires arrested Christian Michael Garcia Thursday on suspicion of arson and vandalism.

LA’s faith community celebrated the news just days after the latest two fires that damaged Pasadena’s historic Church of the Angels and Resurrection Church Thursday in Boyle Heights.

City Councilman Jose Huizar, who represents Boyle Heights and other Eastside communities, thanked the LAFD Arson Unit, the LAPD, Pasadena police and fire agencies "for their remarkable work and expediency in ensuring the person responsible for these and other heinous crimes will be held accountable."

"Monsignor (John) Moretta and Resurrection Church have stood time and time again for Boyle Heights, and Boyle Heights will always stand for Resurrection Church," Huizar said. "We applaud these investigators and we look forward to assisting Resurrection Church rebuild knowing that the true spirit of this parish can never be destroyed."

The blazes drew widespread attention as they targeted houses of worship deeply connected to the community. Authorities allege Garcia is also connected to multiple other acts of arson and vandalism that have occurred at houses of worship in Los Angeles County.

Thursday's fire was reported at 2:05 a.m. at the church in the 3300 block of East Opal Street. It took about five dozen firefighters nearly a half- hour to extinguish. The fire was primarily centered on the first floor of the church, and the flames were kept from the main sanctuary, said Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Erik Scott.

The Pasadena fire at Church of the Angels broke out at 2:20 a.m. Jan. 13 at 1100 N. Avenue 64. The blaze at the 129-year-old Episcopalian church was classified as a hate crime, according to Lisa Dederian of the Pasadena Fire Department. A few historic statues were "significantly damaged," and there was fire and smoke damage inside the church, she said.

“The Collaboration of our Federal and local partners and the tireless work of investigators from the various agencies in the task force, made this arrest possible and is a testament to the productive working relationship, first responders have here in Southern California when a community is threatened by criminal activity,” said Pasadena Fire Chief Bertral Washington and Pasadena Police chief Philip Sanchez.

The case against Garcia will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office on Monday for prosecution, authorities said.

“Arson and vandalism targeting houses of worship is a serious crime and we have zero-tolerance for willful acts of destruction in the City of Los Angeles,” said LAFD Chief Ralph Terrazas and LAPD Chief Charlie Beck said in a written announcement. “The destruction of a house of worship not only devastates the affected congregation, but affects the entire community. We will always investigate and prosecute the serious crime of arson to the fullest extent of the law.”

City News Service contributed to this report. File Photo by AP Photo/Jonathan Chandia