Fridley Nursing Home Fire Leads to Arson, Assault Charges
BY MN CRIME STAFF
A Fridley nursing home resident is facing multiple felony charges after authorities say he intentionally set fires inside the facility, endangered immobile residents and assaulted a deputy.
According to a criminal complaint, the incident occurred on Dec. 8, 2025, at a nursing home on East River Road in Fridley.
Law enforcement and fire rescue were dispatched after reports that a male resident was actively throwing burning items into the hallway from his room.
> Sign up for the MN CRIME newsletter
When officers arrived, they found the hallway filled with thick black smoke and heard residents yelling for help. Officers immediately began evacuating elderly and immobile residents while working to control the fire. They learned the suspect, 27-year-old Joel Gualberto Villota-Molina, was barricaded inside his room.
While assisting with evacuations, officers located an immobile male resident confined to his bed in a room adjoining Villota-Molina’s. The room was filled with smoke and flames were visible coming from underneath the door. Officers used a fire extinguisher to suppress the fire and evacuated the resident. After the scene was secured, officers observed two rolls of burned toilet paper inside the room. The resident reported seeing burning objects thrown into the room through a bathroom doorway that directly connects to Villota-Molina’s room. The complaint states Villota-Molina had been housed in the adjoining room for several weeks and would have been aware the resident was unable to move on his own.
One officer, the immobile resident and another elderly resident were evaluated by medical professionals for smoke inhalation. One of those people was transported to a hospital.
Staff at the facility told officers Villota-Molina’s behavior had become increasingly erratic. Staff also reported he frequently left the facility on weekends and they suspected he was using narcotics during those times. On the day of the incident, staff said Villota-Molina was acting unusually. When a fire alarm sounded from his room and staff went to investigate, Villota-Molina allegedly threw a bottle containing an unknown liquid out the door toward a staff member. The bottle appeared to have smoke coming from it. He then closed the door and later reopened it to throw burning objects toward staff, prompting the 911 call.
After residents were secured and conditions inside the building were deemed safe, officers learned Villota-Molina had broken a window in his room and escaped the building. A responding deputy located him a short distance away. The deputy ordered Villota-Molina to stop, but he ignored commands and turned toward the deputy while swinging a cane aggressively.
After repeated attempts to gain compliance failed, the deputy attempted to deploy a Taser. The deployment was unsuccessful due to the bulk of Villota-Molina’s winter coat. Another deputy then assisted in physically restraining him. While being restrained, Villota-Molina continued to resist and repeatedly spit on a deputy’s leg while the deputy attempted to control his arm.
Villota-Molina was transported to a hospital to be evaluated for injuries and possible smoke inhalation. Officers attempted to obtain a Mirandized statement, but the complaint states he feigned not understanding English or Spanish while answering unrelated questions in English. After being medically cleared, he was booked into the Anoka County jail, where he remains.
Investigators later obtained a warrant to search Villota-Molina’s room. Inside, they found multiple lighters and evidence of fire activity both inside and outside the room. The State Fire Marshal and the Anoka County Fire Investigation Team responded to the scene. A full fire investigation remains pending.
Villota-Molina is charged with first-degree arson involving a dwelling, attempted first-degree assault involving great bodily harm and felony fourth-degree assault for intentionally transferring bodily fluids or feces onto a peace officer. The arson and attempted assault charges each carry potential sentences of up to 20 years in prison. The assault on a peace officer charge carries a potential sentence of up to three years if convicted.
> See more of our latest coverage
> Follow on X or YouTube for more
> Help make MN safer with real-time alerts, LIVE video, 24/7 Safety Agents & much more: Download Citizen now
