OCOEE, Fla. — A quiet Wednesday morning outside West Oaks Mall turned chaotic when a security patrol truck burst into flames — and what investigators found in a nearby drain broke the case wide open.
Around 12:39 a.m., Ocoee police responded to reports of a vehicle fire in front of the mall’s food court entrance. A security guard on duty told officers his white Ford Maverick pickup was ablaze, with flames shooting from the rear left side of the truck bed.
Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire and recovered a burned item with a “black paper backing” bearing the text “gofireproducts” — believed to be the fire-starting material used in the attack.
But the real breakthrough came from surveillance footage.
Cameras captured a hooded man approaching the vehicle, then walking toward a nearby storm drain — where he appeared to toss something inside. Investigators noted a suspicious detail: the man had a “noticeable bump” underneath his hoodie near the back of his head.
A search of the drain revealed a pair of orange gloves — the key piece of evidence that helped officers track down the suspect.
Police identified the man as Daniel Wright, 19, listed as a transient. He was taken into custody shortly after.
Wright now faces charges of second-degree arson and criminal mischief and is currently being held without bond.
Authorities have not yet confirmed a motive. The investigation remains ongoing.
