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Mount Kisco resident Erik Hernandez Regalado, 22, was taken into custody shortly after the Thursday, April 17 blaze at Leonard Park in Mount Kisco and has been charged with third-degree arson and second-degree criminal mischief, both felonies, according to the Westchester County Police Department.
The fire, which broke out around 5:11 p.m. at the park's Tea House, was first reported by a witness who also saw a man on a battery-powered scooter fleeing the area, police said. Westchester County Police and the Mount Kisco Fire Department responded to the scene. Thanks to the firefighters’ swift actions, the flames were contained to the decking of the Tea House before they could spread to the structure itself.
Minutes after the call, an officer spotted a man pushing a scooter in a parking lot at 34 South Bedford Rd. and detained him for questioning. A witness at the scene later identified him as the individual seen fleeing the fire. Regalado was arrested following an investigation by patrol officers and a detective from the General Investigations Unit.
The Tea House deck area was damaged, but the main structure was spared. Temporary repairs are underway, and the site remains cordoned off. Mount Kisco Deputy Mayor Theresa Flora urged residents to respect the caution tape while repairs continue.
Flora praised the Mount Kisco Volunteer Fire Department for their quick action that prevented more serious damage.
"Our volunteer fire department is second to none, and I appreciate their dedication and professionalism. They show up every time!" Flora wrote in a social media post.
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