Man arrested, charged with 1st degree arson for Saturday car fires

Mar 27, 2023

Burlington police have arrested and charged a man for allegedly starting multiple fires on Saturday.

Multiple fires were sparked Saturday in Burlington. Several of them were vehicle fires.

Between 2:30 a.m. and 6 a.m., at least five fires were reported. More than $200,000 worth of damages are estimated.

Police have arrested Miguel Angel Gomez Amaya, a 26-year-old man from Burlington.

Amaya was charged with the following:

Amaya received a $500,000 bond and has been transported to the Alamance County Detention Center.

Around 2:40 a.m. on Saturday, police responded to the Enterprise Rent-a-Car on Church Street after smoke was reported coming from the building. There were several small fires discovered inside, which officials extinguished.

Over the next few hours, fires were reported at additional locations:

Surveillance footage sent by the owner of a used car dealership showed a man using a lighter on the fuel tank. A little flicker can be seen, then a puff of smoke. The owner said three of his cars were set on fire.

Burlington police initially asked for the community's help to find the suspect and sent a surveillance capture of a man's face. This man is now believed to be Amaya.

The investigation is ongoing.

Police are seeking any additional information from the community, including any surveillance video around the areas of the fires.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Burlington Police Department at 336-229-3500. To submit information anonymously, call Alamance County-Wide Crime Stoppers at 336-229-7100 or use the mobile app, P3 Tips. Tips provided through Crime Stoppers may be eligible for cash rewards.