New Cassel Car Fire Leads To Arson Arrest, Police Say

NEW CASSEL, NY — A Hempstead man was arrested after a car on fire Thursday evening, police said.

Nassau County police said officers responded to a 911 call for a car fire that occurred at approximately 4:50 p.m. on April 30. When officers arrived, they saw a gray 2011 Honda Pilot fully engulfed in flames, police said.

The nearby Westbury Fire Department responded to put out the flames and no injuries were reported, NCPD said.

According to police, upon investigation, 52-year-old Oma Puzie, was observed in the parking lot where he used an accelerant to set the car on fire before fleeing the scene.

The NCPD Arson Bomb Squad, with the help of the Nassau County Fire Marshal's Office, located Puzie and placed him under arrest, police said.

Puzie was charged after third-degree arson and will be arraigned on May 1 in Hempstead, NCPD said.