A man was arrested on Saturday in connection with two arson fires in Fallbrook. Photo courtesy of San Diego County Sheriff’s Department

By Gina Yarbrough 

Fallbrook, CA–A 23-year-old man was arrested Saturday on suspicion of setting two fires near a grocery store in Fallbrook, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department said.

Alexis Lopez was taken into custody in Fallbrook after surveillance video linked him to the fires. He was booked at the Vista Detention Facility on two counts of arson to property, Sheriff’s Department Sergeant Anthony Portillo stated in a news release.

Deputies responded to a report around 9:30 a.m. Thursday of a fire behind a grocery store in the 1100 block of South Mission Road. 

The store employees were able to douse the fire using extinguishers before it spread to the building.

Just before 4 p.m., a second fire was reported in a dumpster just feet away from where the first one started.

Detectives with the Sheriff’s Bomb and Arson Unit, and the Deputy Fire Marshal with the North County Fire Protection District responded to the scene to investigate the fires. 

Anyone with information on other fires related to these incidents can call the Sheriff’s Department at (858) 565-5200.