San Diego
The owner of a Kearny Mesa video store pleaded innocent Monday to attempted insurance fraud and arson in the Nov. 8 torching of his business.
Hong Phuc Van, 22, was ordered held in County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail by San Diego Municipal Judge Allan Preckel.
Two other men, Thanh Quoc Le, 20, and Dung Diep, 21, both of Westminster, also are charged with arson in the case. Both suffered injuries from a recent fire. They were arrested last week at an Orange County hospital.
Van “told the co-defendants he wanted the place burned because of the insurance,” said Deputy Dist. Atty. Daniel Lamborn. “They were acquaintances he hired for $2,500 apiece to burn it down.”
All three men face a Dec. 1 preliminary hearing.
The two injured men were arraigned last week in the burn unit at UC San Diego Medical Center.
Damage to the store, VP Video on Mesa College Drive, was estimated at $135,000. A container of flammable liquid had been tossed through a front window.
More to Read
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
