Bridgeport Man, 22, Charged With Arson In Bishop St. House Fire: PD

NEW HAVEN, CT — No one was physically hurt in the house fire on Bishop Street last Friday, but 20 people were left homeless. Police announced Tuesday that a 22-year-old man has been charged with arson.

According to New Haven police Capt. Rose Dell, firefighters were called to 38 Bishop St. and found heavy smoke coming from the second floor of the building. Having located a fire in the basement, they acted swiftly to extinguish the flames, Dell said. No one was hurt, but the Red Cross helped 20 residents who wee forced from the house due to smoke and water
damage, she said.

New Haven police officer Dennis Cole "obtained surveillance footage that revealed the cause of the fire," Dell said. A man used a green lighter to ignite a crate filled with papers. Wearing a gray-hooded jacket, dark-colored pants, white sneakers, and a black backpack with a Puma logo, Cole saw the man, later identified as Ryan Bowser, "watching the events unfold," as the cop spoke to residents. Cole detained Bowser and, after a search, "found a green lighter in his pants pocket."

Dell said that while "being detained, Bowser damaged the back seat of the police cruiser and destroyed the dash camera, causing over $1500 in damage."

Bowser, of Bridgeport, Dell said, was charged with first-degree arson, first-degree reckless endangerment and first-degree criminal mischief.

According to court and jail records, Bowser had a court-set bail of $400,000, which online court records show he did not post, though is not listed as being in corrections custody. Bowser is due in court Feb. 15.