San Diego arson suspect identified as casino poker dealer after 131-acre blaze

A 30-year-old poker dealer named Brandon Glasgo was taken into custody on Monday on suspicion of arson in connection with the Sorrento Fire that erupted Sunday in San Diego. The fire started around 1:30 p.m. between Sorrento Valley Boulevard and Carmel Mountain Road and rapidly consumed 131 acres of vegetation along the Peñasquitos Creek corridor, threatening nearby homes and prompting evacuation warnings. Fire crews struggled to reach the flames because the blaze burned on a hiking trail, making ground access difficult and necessitating the deployment of five fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters from Hemet and Ramona.

Within roughly an hour, aerial efforts helped halt the fire’s forward spread, and most evacuation orders were lifted by the evening. By the following morning the blaze remained at 131 acres and was 25% contained. Police have not released what specifically sparked the fire, and Glasgo is scheduled for arraignment on Wednesday.