Man sets fire to ex-father-in-law's car in Rivadavia and is detained after breaking into someone else's home
Leandro Guzmán, 29, was charged with arson and breaking and entering with one month's preventive detention in San Juan.
Man accused of burning Renault Express remains in custody after attempting to flee in Tres Marías neighbourhood
Leandro David Guzmán, 29, was charged with arson and breaking and entering, and remanded in custody for one month. According to sanjuan8.com, he is accused of setting fire to his ex-father-in-law's Renault Express, a 67-year-old man, on Rodríguez Street, between Salta and Alem, in Rivadavia department.
The vehicle's owner reported that the flames damaged mainly the front seats. Neighbours in the area identified Guzmán as the suspected perpetrator, which led police to begin searching for him.
Officers located him in the Tres Marías neighbourhood, but the arrest had a particular episode: upon being found causing disturbances near Police Station 23, Guzmán attempted to escape and forcibly entered an adjacent dwelling. The officers caught up with him and subdued him at the location.
During the arraignment hearing, prosecutor Alejandro Mattar requested that the accused remain in custody whilst the investigation progresses. Judge Gerardo Fernández Caussi granted the request and allowed six months to gather evidence.
The defence, handled by lawyer Alejandro Martín García, challenged the classification of the offence. The attorney argued that the incident should be classified as property damage rather than arson, given that the latter carries a sentence of between 3 and 10 years' imprisonment, whilst property damage carries a range of 15 days to 4 years.
Guzmán has three prior convictions, including for robberies and breaking and entering; the most recent was handed down in 2025. He will remain in custody for one month whilst the Public Prosecutor's Office determines how the fire occurred and the degree of responsibility of the accused.
Source: Google News PR — San Juan