A Hempstead man was arrested Thursday after police say he intentionally set an SUV on fire in a New Cassel parking lot.
According to Nassau County police, officers responded to a 911 call reporting a vehicle fire at approximately 4:50 p.m. on April 30. When they arrived, they found a gray 2011 Honda Pilot fully engulfed in flames. The Westbury Fire Department responded and extinguished the fire. No injuries were reported.
Following what authorities described as an extensive investigation, detectives determined that Oma Puzie, 52, allegedly used an accelerant to ignite the vehicle while in the parking lot of 735 Prospect Avenue before fleeing the scene.
Members of the Arson Bomb Squad, working with the Nassau County Fire Marshal, located Puzie nearby and took him into custody without incident.
Puzie has been charged with Arson in the Third Degree, a felony under New York law.
He is scheduled to be arraigned on May 1 at First District Court in Hempstead.
Photo: NCPD
