SAN ANTONIO — A woman is accused of setting a porta potty on fire outside a west side church. The Family Christian Center Church’s surveillance camera caught the act, which helped investigators find the suspect.
“I mean, why would this happen?” Associate Pastor James Villarreal said. “You know, how did it happen?”
Pastor Villarreal said when they placed the porta potties on the church property off West Commerce Street, they knew the public was going to use them. However, they did not expect someone to set one on fire.
“I thank the lord and Savior Jesus Christ that it wasn’t the church, and nobody got hurt, but it was the port-a-potties,” Villarreal said.
Villarreal said around 3 a.m. Saturday, the church’s surveillance video shows smoke coming out of a porta potty, along with a woman.
“She stumbled out and she kind of looked down towards the porta potties and I believe she knew what she was doing,” Villarreal said.
In an affidavit, police stated she was kneeling down to make sure the fire was going and then walked off. Within an hour, the fire intensified and spread to the outhouse. It was currently out of service because of plumbing issues.
Villarreal said he had a feeling he knew who the woman was after viewing the video, so when he spotted her later that day, he called police.
“I’ve seen her here and I’ve ministered, and I prayed as well with her, I invited her to our church services,” Villarreal said. “I don’t know her background but we’re going to be praying for her.”
With the help of the surveillance video, police arrested Samantha Berlanga. The affidavit stated police found the exact clothing she was wearing in the video inside her backpack. She is now facing an arson charge.
“There is forgiveness,” Villarreal said.
Fire investigators have not said exactly how the fire started. Berlanga remains in the Bexar County Jail with a $50,000 bond.
As far as the church, they plan on knocking down the building with the bathrooms and rebuilding.