DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. — Detectives in Broward County are looking for the person who lit a flare, causing a deputy's vehicle to catch fire earlier this week.
The incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. Sunday near the 1000 block of West Hillsboro Boulevard in Deerfield Beach.
According to investigators, a deputy was parked in his marked patrol car when he noticed heavy smoke coming from the vehicle's rear passenger side.
A passerby also flagged the deputy down and alerted him that his rear passenger tire was on fire. The deputy got out of the vehicle to investigate and spotted the lit flare.
Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue and additional deputies responded. The fire was later extinguished.
The sheriff's office said the deputy was in the area with his emergency lights activated to deter street racers from speeding down Hillsboro Boulevard when the arsonist lit the flare.
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Det. Kristina Luna at 954-321-4200.
Anonymous tips can be made by calling Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS (8477) or online at browardcrimestoppers.org.
A reward of up to $5,000 is being offered for any information that leads to an arrest.
