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Arson attempt leads to arrest

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From the Parker County Sheriff’s Dept.

Parker County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a man Sunday evening for setting a home on fire.

Parker County Sheriff Larry Fowler said sheriff’s deputies responded to a call for service in reference to a domestic disturbance at 165 Oak Hill Drive, in Weatherford, just before 5:30 p.m. Sunday, July 21, 2019.

Sheriff’s deputies observed a mobile home actively on fire. Firefighters were called to extinguish the fire.

Sheriff’s deputies spoke with the complainant, who stated she and her husband, identified as Jesus Cardenas-Viscalla, 40, were verbally arguing, and she decided to leave. The victim contacted family members to assist her in gathering her clothing and personal items in order to leave the premises.

While the victim was packing, the victim and her family members observed Cardenas-Viscalla pouring gasoline throughout the residence.

As the victim and her family members left the home, they observed the suspect strike a match, throw it inside the home, close the door and flee the premises.

Shortly after sheriff’s deputies arrived on scene, the victim and her family members observed the suspect near his truck a short distance from the home, and pointed him out to deputies.

Sheriff’s deputies apprehended the suspect and located a box of matches in his pants pocket. Cardenas-Viscalla implicated himself to deputies, by admission of using gasoline used for a lawnmower, and pouring it inside the home, Cardenas-Viscalla then stated he used a match from the box found on his person to ignite the fire. Cardenas-Viscalla further stated he started the fire because he had wanted a divorce for five years and, “She won’t go.”

Cardenas-Viscalla was booked into the Parker County Jail on a charge of arson. He was also arrested on several warrants including two counts of no driver’s license when unlicensed, and two counts of failure to appear.

Once jail staff ran Cardenas-Viscalla’s fingerprints, they were submitted to the national database, as per protocol, ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), representatives contacted jail staff requesting a detainer to be placed on the suspect.

As of Monday morning, his bond had not been set.

Parker County Sheriff Larry Fowler said, “With the ICE detainer against Cardenas-Viscalla, it brings a total of 14 ICE detainees we have currently incarcerated at the Parker County Jail. Each of these inmates were originally arrested on other crimes.”

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