SAN ANTONIO – A man accused of arson at a Northwest Side apartment complex allegedly used a Molotov cocktail during the incident, according to an arrest affidavit.
Gilbert Beltran Garcia, 34, faces arson and prohibited weapons charges in connection with the incident on Jan. 12, Bexar County court records show.
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Garcia faces bonds of $100,000 for the arson charge and $20,000 for the prohibited weapons charge, respectively, records show.
Alleged domestic violence incident in front of family
San Antonio police officers responded to an apartment complex in the 4300 block of East Houston Street, just past South WW White Road, on Monday around 3:20 p.m.
The affidavit states Garcia and his wife got into a physical altercation in front of multiple family members, resulting in her arrest.
After her arrest, Garcia told his wife’s brother and her family they could not stay at their home and “forced them to leave,” according to the affidavit.
Garcia shows up at Northwest Side apartment ‘looking to fight’
Less than five hours later, SAPD responded to an apartment complex in the 5300 block of Northwest Loop 410 around 7:45 p.m.
Several 911 calls were made, including from the brother, saying people were fighting in a breezeway at the complex. Then, another 911 call was taken for an apartment building on fire, the affidavit said.
Authorities arrived at the complex and “observed significant fire damage to the exterior veneer” of a two-story building, according to the affidavit.
Investigators said the fire damage was concentrated near the building’s entryway and into the breezeway between multiple apartments.
The brother and his family spoke to investigators and said they saw Garcia “banging on the door and yelling for them to come outside.”
The affidavit said the brother told investigators Garcia seemed agitated and “looking to fight.” He said Garcia accused them of stealing things from his apartment.
Molotov cocktail allegedly used during incident; Camera captures Garcia on property
Garcia later left the family’s front door, but the brother told investigators he heard a “loud bang” from the back of the building, the affidavit states.
The brother later saw smoke and flames coming from a part of the building. He told investigators that while attempting to put out the flames with a fire extinguisher, he allegedly saw Garcia slowly drive by.
As authorities investigated the fire scene, a neighbor said she had door-camera footage of Garcia leaving the scene after the fire. Investigators observed Garcia approaching the brother’s door in the footage, according to the affidavit.
The neighbor said that when she was walking back to her apartment, she saw Garcia running from the breezeway, shortly before she saw smoke and flames. She also later saw him driving a white Dodge SUV, the affidavit said.
Investigators in the affidavit found the fire to be “incendiary in nature,” and allegedly set by a Molotov cocktail, after recovering broken glass and a strong odor of gasoline near the scene.
Court records indicate Garcia was arrested on Wednesday.