A New York man is accused of setting a state trooper’s childhood home on fire in revenge for receiving multiple traffic tickets, authorities said Thursday.
Tyler Williams, 26, of Middletown, was pulled over by a trooper on Dec. 20, 2023 and issued multiple tickets, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.
The following morning, the Warwick home of the trooper’s father was destroyed in a deliberately set blaze, officials said. No one was injured in the fire.
Over the course of many months, investigators learned that Williams allegedly made online searches to learn personal information about the trooper who issued him the traffic tickets and stumbled upon the address of his childhood home while looking for the trooper’s current address.
Williams was arrested Wednesday and pleaded not guilty to arson in the second degree. He was sent to the Orange County Jail without bail and is scheduled to reappear in court on Tuesday.
“We stand in lockstep with our law enforcement partners to ensure the safety of police officers,” Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler said. “This case represents every police officer’s worst nightmare and we will not rest until justice is done.”
Arson in the second degree carries a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 25 years in prison.
