DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Elmhurst Chief of Police Michael Ruth have announced that bond has been set for an Addison man accused of setting fire to a vehicle in the parking lot of an Elmhurst car dealership.
Dario Salas, 40, appeared at a bond hearing where Judge John Kinsella set bond at $200,000 with 10 percent to apply. Salas has been charged with two counts of arson, a Class 2 felony.
On April 13 at approximately 1:14 a.m., officers with the Elmhurst Police Department responded to the Elmhurst BMW car dealership located in the 500 block of W. Lake St., for a vehicle on fire in the west parking lot.
Upon their arrival, officers found a black Audi on fire. The Elmhurst Fire Department arrived on scene and extinguished the fire.
It is alleged that on April 13, at approximately 1 a.m., an individual, later identified as Salas, entered the BMW parking lot from the northwest corner and approached the Audi vehicles parked in the west parking lot. It is alleged that Salas then poured gasoline on the vehicle, set the vehicle on fire and then left the parking lot.
An investigation into the matter led authorities to Salas who was taken into custody by Elmhurst officers following a traffic stop in Addison less than two hours later.
“It is alleged that Mr. Salas intentionally set fire to an Audi located at the Elmhurst BMW car dealership,” Berlin said. “Thankfully, the Elmhurst Fire Department was able to contain the fire to the Audi with just the two vehicles on each side of the Audi sustaining some damage. I commend the Elmhurst Police Department for their outstanding work in identifying the fire as intentional and for their work in not only identifying Mr. Salas as the man who allegedly started the fire, but also for their extremely quick apprehension of the defendant.”
Salas’ next court appearance is scheduled for May 11 for arraignment in front of Judge Kinsella.
