Central Coast man set elderly father on fire in murder attempt, police say

A Lompoc man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and other charges Saturday afternoon after allegedly beating his father and setting him on fire, according to the Lompoc Police Department.

Officers responded at about 3:30 p.m. to a residence on the 200 block of North D Street on a report of a father and son fighting, said Sgt. Jorge Magana.

They also received a report that the son was beating the father.

Officers made contact with the son — Joe Garcia Jr., 40 — and asked him to open the door so they could check on the older man.

“Joe did not comply, and the door was forced open,” Magana said. “Upon forcing the door, we immediately saw the father was set on fire and was actively burning.”

Officers placed the father on the ground and extinguished the flames, Magana said, adding that the man suffered third-degree burns.

The victim, whose name was not released, was airlifted to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, and later transferred to a burn center.

Garcia was booked on suspicion of attempted murder, false imprisonment, criminal threats, assault with a deadly weapon, mayhem, elder abuse, and animal cruelty, Magana said.

The case remained under investigation.