Suspect in attempted carjacking and arsons arrested

A 32-year-old man was taken into custody in connection with an attempted carjacking and two arson fires in Pasadena, police said Wednesday.

Pasadena Fire Department personnel and Pasadena Police Department officers responded to the Dream Church in the 1300block of East Colorado Boulevard, about one block west of Hill Avenue, on Jan. 20 at around 6 a.m., where firefighters discovered evidence of two separate fires had burned out inside the church upon their arrival, prompting an arson investigation from the Verdugo Fire Investigation Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, according to Lt. Keith Gomez of the Pasadena Police Department.

Detectives discovered through surveillance footage that the fires were intentionally set on

Jan. 19 around 9 p.m. by a male suspect, later identified as Michael Monzon, police said.

Police said Monzon was also responsible for an attempted carjacking in the 1800 block of East Colorado Boulevard on Jan. 21 at around 3:25 a.m. at a gas station, where he was unsuccessful in taking the victim's vehicle. He fled the scene before the arrival of officers.

Slightly more than four hours after the attempted carjacking, the Pasadena police and fire departments responded to a report of a fire in the 1100 block of East Colorado Boulevard, near Lake Avenue, at 7 a.m. in a parking lot behind a business. The fire was quickly extinguished and deemed suspicious.

It was unknown what motivated the fires.

According to police, detectives recovered property belonging to Monzon, along with an object constructed to resemble a firearm.

Monzon was arrested by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputies on Jan. 24 for unspecified unrelated charges.

Anyone with information regarding the attempted carjacking and two arson fires was urged to call the Pasadena Police Department at 626-7444241. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222- 8477.