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WENDOVER — A man was arrested Wednesday on investigation of aggravated arson in connection to an early morning fire at a Utah Department of Transportation employee compound in Wendover, officials said.
Joshua D. Gonzalez, 28, of Wendover, was arrested in connection to the crime, Wendover Fire Department officials confirmed Wednesday afternoon.
Gonzalez, who is not a UDOT employee, resided in the UDOT compound and intentionally set a single-wide trailer on fire which caused a vacant nearby trailer to burn, officials said. Both trailers were a total loss.
An early-morning fire destroyed one @UtahDOT housing unit and heavily damaged another in Wendover. Wendover Fire officials tell me they believe a tenant set the fire. They’re trying to find that person now. @KSL5TVpic.twitter.com/bxzwJ2CmsX
— Sean Moody (@SeanMoodyKSL) August 5, 2020
Firefighters responded to the blaze near 1819 Frontage Road just after 3 a.m., according to Wendover Public Safety director Ken Quirk.
“We’re just very happy that no state employees were harmed in this incident, but also very concerned that someone would want to destroy state property like that,” said UHP Sgt. Nick Street.
Gonzalez, who is a state employee’s family member, was located by UHP about four miles away and brought in for questioning about 7 a.m.
The compound includes four structures where employees live, Quirk said. Past the two trailers, no other structures at the compound were damaged.
Quirk said authorities have had "multiple issues" with Gonzalez, but did not elaborate on the issues.
No injuries were reported in the incident.
A @UTHighwayPatrol trooper tells me they have a person of interest in custody. @KSL5TVpic.twitter.com/n3GwoHVOCZ
— Sean Moody (@SeanMoodyKSL) August 5, 2020
Correction: An earlier version incorrectly implied Gonzalez was an employee of UDOT, which he is not. This story has been updated.
Contributing: Sean Moody, KSL TV and Mark Challis, KSL TV; Lauren Bennett, KSL.com
