


The first rule of Arson Club is, of course, don’t talk about Arson Club. But the second rule is almost as important: Don’t set yourself on fire.
There is some question as to whether Artemio Sanchez-Ortega has ever been a member of Arson Club, however, as police suspect he is the man who poured gasoline on his ex-girlfriend’s property in Albuquerque, then lit a match and it — and himself — aflame.
I’m not sure what the third rule of Arson Club is, but if it’s not “Don’t get caught on camera committing arson,” it probably should be.
And — you guessed it — the suspect in this case managed to break that one too.
Albuqueque’s KOB shared a neighbor’s video surveillance footage that showed the suspect fleeing the scene. (He’s easy to identify in the video; he’s the one on fire.)
Three vehicles outside the home of Sanchez-Ortega’s ex-girlfriend — whom police did not named — were destroyed by the fire, and her home was damaged as well.
The former girlfriend and her four children were inside the home while all this was happening, watching, as KOB reported, “in complete shock.”
The unnamed victim told KOB that she wasn’t sure what led to the arson, but the station cited an arrest warrant that included the victim’s statement that she had spoken to Sanchez-Ortega earlier in the evening and that he had been drinking.
Police told the outlet that Sanchez-Ortega’s white truck had been parked down the street at the time of the incident, which also helped identify him as the prime suspect.
That should probably be the fourth rule of Arson Club: Don’t park too close to the site of your intended blaze.
The victim told KOB that she wants to see Sanchez-Ortega arrested and for him to face the consequences of his actions.
So far, however, the 46-year-old is still on the run, demonstrating that he’s apparently able to abide by the first rule of Arson Club. So far, anyway.
“I kind of had to laugh at the sort of amateur hour situation there, if you’re going to commit arson, try to do it without setting yourself on fire,” neighbor Daniel Provine told KOB. “Feel like that dude got what he deserved a little bit in the process.”
“I hope they find that guy and take care of business, that’s about really all I can say,” he added.
According to KOAT, the suspect drives a White Chevy Silverado with Texas license plate 1C0-2721, chrome rims, black fender flares and a black horizontal stripe.
I can only hope that the suspect isn’t carrying a firearm when police inevitably catch up to him. I’d hate to see him pull his weapon … and accidentally shoot himself.