Arsonist on probation charged again
The Delaware State Fire Marshals Office arrested Victor Rodriquez for two counts of second-degree arson, second-degree burglary, first-degree criminal trespassing and second-degree criminal trespassing in connection with two fires at Heritage Creek. The fires completely destroyed a model home and seriously damaged two other homes under construction.
Baker said the estimated damage to the three structures is $650,000. “We were really saddened by the whole thing. That was a lot of hard work that literally went up in flames.” She said the sales event continued as planned, and the company was able to showcase another model home that was close to completion. “We’ll continue forward. We will rebuild as soon as possible,” said Baker.
Baker said Schell Brothers owners were grateful no one was hurt and extraordinarily impressed with how quickly the fire company arrived at the scene, got the blaze under control and reduced the amount of damage when the second home caught fire.
The second fire, which damaged a third home, was found in an unusual manner. Three fire marshals were on scene, when Chief Deputy State Fire Marshal Randall W. Lee decided to drive through the development to make sure no other fires had been started. “I was checking all the houses to make sure nothing had happened to them, and by gosh, I came upon one,” said Lee. Since firefighters were nearby, they were able to control that blaze very rapidly.
Milton Fire Department Chief Lynn Rogers said he was pleased an arrest was made so quickly, but investigations are continuing into two other Milton fires that occurred April 13.
Lee said the State Fire Marshal’s Office is still unable to comment on whether the fire at a home under construction on Reynolds Pond Road was arson. While firefighters were putting that one out, another was started at a home under construction in Milton Meadows. Fire marshals confirmed that day the Milton Meadows fire was caused by arson. That case, along with the Hampton Inn fire on the same day, also remains under investigation.
Rogers said after fighting the blaze at Reynolds Pond Road that he believes it was caused by arson.
Rodriquez, also known as Rodriguez, 33, of Milton, has a lengthy history of arson arrests and was on probation at the time of his arrest. His bail was set at $10,000. He remains at Sussex Correctional Institution pending his preliminary hearing Thursday, April 30.
Charged man has history of arson-related incidents
Victor Rodriquez, also known as Victor Rodriguez, has a history of arson-related arrests. He was arrested three times in 1995 for reckless burning, reckless burning and arson, reckless burning and resisting arrest.
He was arrested twice in 2000 for terroristic threatening and numerous counts of arson. Between those years he was also charged for burglary, falsely reporting an incident, writing bad checks, unlawful use of a credit card, attempted burglary and resisting arrest.
He has served time in prison for some of the arrests and was on probation when he was arrested Friday, April 24, for arson. Among the conditions of Rodriquez’s probation or previous sentences are taking classes in anger management and getting mental health counseling. The court also amended his probation terms in 2007 to prohibit Rodriquez from possessing accelerants or gasoline, except when reasonable to fuel a vehicle, and from possessing matches.
