Local & Community
Suspect Arrested After Vehicle Fire at Larson Justice Center in Indio
A suspect is in custody after a vehicle was intentionally set on fire outside the Larson Justice Center in Indio early Saturday morning.
At approximately 1:02 a.m., the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) responded alongside officers from the Indio Police Department to reports of a vehicle fire near the front entrance of the courthouse. When units arrived, they discovered the vehicle fully engulfed in flames, but no individuals were found nearby.
Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire, and CAL FIRE investigators determined it had been intentionally set. Arson investigators launched an immediate investigation into the case.
Just over two hours later, at 3:29 a.m., officers were dispatched to a nearby gas station where an individual was reportedly refusing to leave and was believed to be armed. Authorities detained the man, identified as 41-year-old Jose Leon Espinosa.
Espinosa was taken into custody by arson investigators and later booked into the John Benoit Detention Center. He now faces multiple felony charges related to arson.
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By: NBC Palm Springs
September 21, 2025
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