Car fire at Collier state probation office ruled arson

Stunning exclusive video shows the moments a car caught fire in a probation office parking lot on Airport-Pulling Road early Tuesday morning.

Mylee Van Tol likely saved this heated situation from becoming even worse when she called 911, “I was giving a friend home from work, driving toward my house and I looked over and saw a car on fire.”

“Oh my gosh it was engulfed, kept popping like explosions popping and popping,” Van Tol said.

Marci Redding, owner of Larry’s Lunchbox, has been serving probation officers for 30 years. This isn’t the first time she’s seen commotion at her business’s next door neighbors, “It was dark when I pulled in this morning, but I thought someone was probably upset with their probation officer”

Fortunately no one was inside the cars when they caught fire but they are undrivable.

The fire marshal is continuing the investigation, but the preliminary findings were ruled arson, according to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office. The state is planning to press charges.

The State Department said probation officers use these cars for field work.