Sunland man charged with attempted murder after allegedly setting ex-girlfriend’s home on fire

A 36-year-old Sunland man pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to charges that he threw an incendiary device into his ex-girlfriend’s Glendale home while she was inside, setting it on fire, authorities said.

Early Sunday morning, Gagik Akopyan allegedly broke a window at the woman’s home, removed a board she had placed there for her protection and threw a device inside, which caused an explosion and a fire, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

Just after 5 a.m., police were called to the home, located in the 1800 block of Lake Street, where there were visible flames, and the resident was evacuated, said Glendale Police spokeswoman Tahnee Lightfoot.

Officers reportedly grabbed nearby garden hoses and extinguished the fire before firefighters arrived.

No injuries were reported.

Akopyan was arrested later that afternoon.

Prosecutors said he also punched the victim earlier this month.

On Tuesday, he was charged with one count each of attempted murder, arson of an inhabited structure and injuring a spouse or girlfriend, according to the district attorney’s office.

Akopyan, who has prior convictions for robbery, burglary, receiving stolen property, conspiracy to intimidate a witness and possessing methamphetamine, is being held in lieu of more than $2-million bail. He faces a maximum sentence of life in state prison.

The fire caused an estimated $18,000 in damages, according to Glendale Fire spokeswoman Brandy Villanueva.