IREDELL COUNTY, N.C. — Police are investigating after someone was seen on camera setting four North Carolina Highway Patrol cars on fire.
Channel 9′s Dave Faherty has learned that troopers were taking a break at a 7-Eleven north of Statesville, when a person came inside alerting them that their cars were on fire.
Video shows the fires happening Monday just before 10 p.m. on Turnersburg Highway.
According to investigators, a man -- whom they’re describing as homeless -- walked up to the vehicles with a gas container and began pouring gas on the hoods of the patrol cars.
Moments after the fire started, troopers came running to put out the flames, grabbing fire extinguishers from the burning cars.
Even though the troopers were on break, they said their in-car cameras captured the suspect actually pouring the gasoline on the cars and setting it on fire.
Highway Patrol said the man accused of setting the fire, Daniel Zelo, 49, never left the scene and was found still holding the gas can. Zelo was taken into custody and charged with four counts of burning personal property.
“It’s amazing what our guys and law enforcement have to deal with nowadays. It’s just an example of the inherent dangers that first responders face nowadays. You can’t even go get a cup of coffee without your car being set on fire,” said Sgt. Daniel Hall.
According to troopers, Zelo claimed after the fire that law enforcement had taken away his children in another county and he took it out on Highway Patrol.
“There’s so much crime going on right now, we really need to respect our law enforcement,” said customer Von Turner.
Troopers said of the four cars damaged, three were not drivable. Damages are estimated between $15,000 and $25,000.
Zelo is being held at the Iredell County Jail with a $100,000 bond.
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