‘Rollin Roots’ food truck owner found guilty of arson
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A verdict was reached Thursday in an arson and insurance fraud case involving a local food truck owner, court officials said.
Avonte Hartsfield was found guilty of setting his food truck “Rollin Roots” on fire in October 2021 outside his Kearny Mesa office, Emily Cox with the Superior Court of California, County of San Diego confirmed to FOX 5/KUSI in an email Thursday. He was also found guilty of taking money from insurance companies, even donors, under false claims, and grand theft.
Hartsfield claimed someone targeted his business and that the fire was a hate crime. Two days before the fire, Hartsfield said someone left a noose hanging over his office door and cut power cords to his truck. Then a year later in November 2022, prosecutors charged Hartsfield with arson and insurance fraud in connection with the blaze.
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During Hartsfield’s preliminary hearing in August, the judge heard from six witnesses from the San Diego Police Department, District Attorney’s Office investigators and State Farm Insurance investigators.
In court, the prosecutor played surveillance video near the truck the night of the fire. San Diego Police Metro Arson Strike Team detective John Clayton testified Hartsfield appears to be in video right before and after the fire.
The court also heard multiple phone calls between Hartsfield and Clayton after the fire. The arson detective said he took that information to his fire investigators, who then determined there was “no way” the fire started the way Hartsfield described.
Hartsfield faces up to seven years and four months in prison. His sentencing will be on March 20.
FOX 5/KUSI’s Alani Letang contributed to this story.
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