WEST MIAMI, Fla. (WSVN) – A 58-year-old West Miami man is facing charges of first-degree arson and criminal mischief after allegedly setting his own trailer on fire.
According to an arrest form, just before 1:45 a.m., Monday, a witness observed a trailer in the Westhaven Trailer Park community, located at 6020 SW 8 Street, Lot A121, engulfed in flames and immediately called 911. While outside, the witness noticed Roberto Angel Cardenosa lighting the contents of a large metal dumpster on fire before disappearing from sight. The witness recognized Cardenosa as a resident of the burning trailer.
Officers with the West Miami Police Department, who were in the vicinity, arrived at the scene around 1:49 a.m. They began evacuating nearby trailers and spotted Cardenosa, who police say they recognized from previous interactions, standing about 25 feet away in the middle of the entrance to the north east section of the trailer park holding a purple stick lighter in his right hand.
The officers approached Cardenosa, who started walking northbound towards SW 8th Street. Pursuing him to gather information about the fire, Officer Suardiaz witnessed Cardenosa drop the purple lighter in a ditch while walking. The officers caught up with him, and Cardenosa spontaneously stated his involvement.
Cardenosa was taken into custody, and MDFR arrived to investigate the fire’s origin and cause, which revealed that the fire initiated at the trailer’s rear and was intentionally set.
Surveillance footage from a nearby neighbor captured Cardenosa rummaging through a dumpster approximately five minutes before the fire. He removed large cardboard pizza boxes and headed towards his trailer.
Despite multiple opportunities to discuss the incident, Cardenosa declined to provide any further information. Consequently, he was arrested and transported to jail.
The fire completely destroyed Cardenosa’s trailer, causing heat damage to parts of the trailer park community. Additionally, the dumpster sustained heat and fire damage during the incident.
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