City police have arrested a 44-year-old man for allegedly perpetrating two arsons at two motels on the far west side of town.
That arrest was made on Oct. 31, according to a Nov. 3 email press release sent out by New Haven Police Department spokesperson Sgt. Cherelle Carr.
Carr wrote that, on Sept. 22, at 12:11 a.m., the New Haven Police Department and New Haven Fire Department responded to a fire at the Three Judges Motel Lodge at 1560 Whalley Ave. Soon after, at 12:41 a.m., a second fire was reported at the New Haven Inn, located at 100 Pond Lily Ave.
Police determined the fires were suspicious and, as the result of an investigation, found that both fires were likely to have been started by the same person. The New Haven Fire Investigation Unit and NHPD Detective J. Aurora developed a suspect and were able to secure an arrest warrant.
The suspect is currently being held on a total of $400,000 worth of bonds and faces charges of arson in the first degree, reckless burning, and reckless endangerment in the first degree. According to the state criminal court’s online database, the arrestee has not yet entered pleas to either of the two sets of charges, and his next court date is scheduled for Nov. 15.
Thank you to the NHFD and NHPD and The New Haven Fire Investigation Unit for fighting these fires and catching and arresting this arsonist. I hope they prosecute him to the highest extent of the law. Lives were at stake.