Man arraigned after 7-Eleven fire in South Bay

CHULA VISTA, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — A man suspected of setting fire to a 7-Eleven in Chula Vista last weekend was arraigned Wednesday. The blaze resulted in the serious injuries of two employees — one of whom was the suspect’s ex-girlfriend.

Carlos Villanueva, 47, of Chula Vista, has been charged on suspicion of premeditated attempted murder, torture, mayhem, arson, assault by means of force likely to cause great bodily injury and felon in possession of a firearm, according to Deputy District Attorney Jared Coleman. He will be held without bail.

The fire occurred Saturday around 8:12 a.m. at a 7-Eleven convenience store in the 800 block of Broadway.

When authorities arrived, they found the inside of the store filled with smoke and an employee walking out of the building with burn injuries, the Chula Vista Police Department said.

Officers heard a voice coming from inside the burning building, prompting them to run into the building. There, officers found a second victim, who was also an employee, with severe burn. Officers removed her from the building as she was unable to walk on her own. The victim was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, authorities said.

The other employee found outside of the building when police arrived was taken to the hospital with serious burn injuries, but those were considered non-life-threatening.

During the investigation, authorities determined a man believed to have flammable liquid had entered the store just before the fire started, according to police. Police say the flammable liquid may have been used to start the fire before the suspect left the scene.

Police used the Automated License Plate Reader to track the vehicle that was reported leaving the location of the fire. The vehicle was found Saturday afternoon around 100 miles north of Chula Vista by officers in Redland, California at a gas station in the area.

Villanueva was arrested without incident and was taken into custody.

The three Chula Vista police officers who saved the victim from the burning building were checked and cleared for smoke inhalation.

Anyone who may have been in the area of Broadway and L Street Saturday morning are asked to contact San Diego County Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477 or submit tips anonymously online or through the P3tips mobile app.

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