Drone helps capture suspect in California palm tree arson case

1 hour ago 6

Police aircraft locates man hiding in nearby riverbed

Published Jun 11, 2026 • 1 minute read

A suspected arsonist is pictured in drone footage released by the San Diego County Sheriff's Office.

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An arson suspect who allegedly set fire to palm trees in a San Diego suburb was nabbed with the help of a drone, California police said.

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The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office released drone footage of the May 25 incident, showing flames engulfing a group of trees in a valley between a residential neighbourhood and a busy road just east of downtown San Diego.

The sheriff’s office said it received a report of a man seen setting a palm tree on fire with a lighter near an outdoor flea market in Spring Valley, prompting a temporary evacuation of nearby residents.

The sheriff’s office said officers with the California Highway Patrol assisted in the search for the suspect.

As officers searched the area, the sheriff’s Unmanned Aerial Systems Program launched a drone, located the suspect in a nearby riverbed and tracked his movements, the sheriff’s office said.

The deputy operating the drone relayed the suspect’s location to a police helicopter before grounding the drone to allow firefighting aircraft to safely battle the blaze.

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Deputies arrested the suspect, Miguel Hernandez, 35, a short time later.

“This coordinated response helped firefighters safely contain the flames and allowed deputies to take the suspect into custody without further risk to the community,” the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post.

The San Diego County Sheriff’s UAS Program was launched 10 years ago. It now consists of a team of 60 certified pilots and more than 70 aircraft that support missions including search-and-rescue operations, patrol responses and emergency incidents.

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