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First responders in New Haven responded to an apartment complex in Milford over the weekend, where there was a report of a suspicious car fire that broke out near a High Street apartment complex.
The incident was reported on Sunday, May 22, according to police.
Upon arrival, investigators said that officers reported that the fire included the engine lock, hood, front bumper, tires, and front fender of the vehicle before it was knocked down and extinguished by crews from the Milford Fire Department.
First responders noted that the fire was determined to be suspicious because it started outside the vehicle.
According to police, video surveillance in the area showed a man wearing a mask and carrying a water bottle approaching the vehicle, pouring liquid on the front hood, and lighting a match, causing a fire.
The flames can then be seen spreading across the front of the vehicle as the suspect takes the plastic water bottle and walks away.
Police said that the man in the video, Gerol Francilme, a homeless person who resides in Milford, was later found at the home of the vehicle owner, a woman who has an order of protection against him.
Francilme was taken into custody and charged with:
- Two counts of violation of a protective order;
- Third-degree arson;
- Criminal mischief.
He is being held on a $250,000 bond and was arraigned at Milford Court on Monday, May 23.
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