Arson suspect tracked by drone and arrested after starting wildfire in California

WorldTechnology
17 Jun 2026 • 1:30 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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Arson suspect tracked by drone and arrested after starting wildfire in California

A man who is suspected of starting a wildfire in California was caught by the help of a drone.

Last month, the San Diego Sheriff’s Office received a report that a man had used a lighter to set a tree alight near a supermarket in Spring Valley, prompting a brief neighbourhood evacuation.

As officers searched for the suspect on the ground, a deputy from the Unmanned Aerial Systems program launched a drone to look for the individual, whom he spotted roaming through a nearby riverbed.

Miguel Hernandez, 35, was arrested a short time later, whilst firefighters safely put out the blaze.

“The deputy that flew was able to still see the suspect in the same general area, in that dense vegetation and able to identify who it was," Deputy Tyler Muzic told NBC 7.