- April 19, 2024
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A 36-year-old Ormond Beach woman was arrested for the 23rd time on Saturday night for allegedly setting fire to a friend’s car using grill grease after being asked to leave a pool party.
Police responded to a call in the 500 block of Fred Gamble Way in regards to a vehicle that was set on fire. The homeowner and his girlfriend told OBPD a mutual friend of theirs, Melissa Martinez, stopped by earlier in the night with a child for their pool party. Martinez was already drunk upon arrival, and continued to drink throughout the night.
The couple asked Martinez to leave, and suggested she leave the child with them for the night due to her state, which angered Martinez and caused her to leave abruptly with the child.
The homeowner’s girlfriend told police she then overheard Martinez say something similar to “I’m going to blow this place up,” as she left.
About 10 to 15 minutes later, the homeowner noticed his girlfriend’s 2003 Ford Explorer was on fire. After extinguishing the flames, he saw that his propane grill was on inside his driveway. He told police the grill was not on before Martinez left, and added the grease trap underneath was missing.
The homeowner said he suspected Martinez took out the grease trap from the grill and heated it up on the burners to later pour the hot grease all over his girlfriend’s SUV to accelerate the flames. Neither police nor the homeowner were able to find the grease trap.
Though there are witnesses that saw Martinez’s drunk conduct inside the house, no one actually saw her set fire to the vehicle.
The fire is believed to have ignited on top of the hood and windshield, the flames cracking and partially melting the windshield and wipers. Police reported the SUV sustained over $1,000 in damages and is most likely a total loss.
OBPD sought after Martinez, finding her asleep at the wheel of her car, which while parked, was still running in her driveway. The child was in the front passenger seat.
Martinez was then transferred to OBPD for an investigation, where she was charged and arrested for DUI and child neglect. Despite the fact no one witnessed her set fire to the vehicle, police determined they had enough evidence to support a probable cause arrest for arson and criminal mischief. Martinez was later transported to the Volusia County Branch Jail.
Since 2001, Martinez has been arrested 23 times in Volusia County on various charges like retail theft, leaving the scene of crash, DUI and child neglect.
