Villa Park man charged with arson

A 21-year-old Villa Park man has been charged with arson after evidence linked him to a fire that destroyed a pickup truck in an apartment complex parking lot early Saturday, according to police.

Felipe Hernandez-Ortiz, 21, was arrested at his residence Saturday and made “some admissions” when questioned about a car fire on the 700 block of West Roy Drive that destroyed a Ford Pickup, said Villa Park Police Sgt. Dan McCann.

Police said Hernandez-Ortiz tried to start a second vehicle on fire about a block from the pickup, but was unsuccessful.

Firefighters responding to the blaze found the pickup fully engulfed in flames at about 4 a.m. Saturday, McCann said. A garbage can in the area was also on fire, according to police.

Investigators found items at the scene of the burning pickup that lead them to Hernandez-Ortiz, McCann said. He could not specify what was found.

Police are now looking at Hernandez-Ortiz as a possible suspect in another arson committed in Villa Park within the past year as well, McCann said.

“It appears to be a somewhat random act,” McCann said. “We don’t know why he picked these cars.”

The second vehicle that police say Hernandez-Ortiz attempted to torch received minor fire damage, McCann said.

Hernandez-Ortiz faces a felony arson charge and one count of criminal damage to property.

He remains in custody at the DuPage County jail in lieu of $20,000 bail.