Man Admits He Set Trooper's Dad's Home On Fire After Getting A Ticket

WARWICK, NY — An Orange County man has admitted to intentionally setting a fire at the home of a state trooper's family member after the trooper wrote him a traffic ticket.

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced on Tuesday that 26-year-old Tyler Williams, of Middletown, pleaded guilty before the Honorable Craig Stephen Brown in Orange County Court to second degree arson. Under the plea agreement, it will be recommended that Williams be sentenced to 20 years in prison to be followed by five years of post-release supervision when he is sentenced on January 6.

According to court documents, Williams was pulled over in Middletown by a New York State Police trooper and issued traffic tickets in the evening of December 20, 2023.

Early the next morning, a fire was started at the home of the trooper's father in Warwick.

"Every day in America, police officers write countless traffic tickets, and it does not result in those drivers setting fire to those officers' homes in retribution," Hoovler said. "The admitted conduct in this case stands as amongst the most egregious I have ever seen exhibited towards a police officer in my career. The twenty-year sentence that we will recommend be imposed on this dangerous offender reflects the seriousness of these crimes and our commitment to holding the defendant accountable. I applaud the painstaking work of the investigators who ensured that this defendant was brought to justice. Law enforcement represents the backbone of the safety of our community, and they must be protected for doing the dangerous work that they do every day."

SEE ALSO: Man Accused Of Arson At Home Of NYS Trooper's Dad After Ticket: DA

At the scene of the fire, the Town of Warwick Police Department was assisted by the Orange County Fire Investigation Unit and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

During a nearly five-month-long investigation, a team of investigators and prosecutors, comprised of members of the Town of Warwick Police Department, the New York State Police Major Crimes Unit and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office worked to solve the case.

After the execution of over 20 search warrants, mostly focused on digital forensics, as well as several subpoenas, Williams was arrested and charged for setting the fire. The investigation found that in the hours after being issued the traffic tickets by the trooper and before setting the fire, Williams had used various search websites in order to learn the address of the trooper.

At the plea proceedings, Williams admitted to intentionally starting the fire at the house when he knew or should have known that people were inside.

"This incident struck at the heart of every law enforcement officer and their families," Town of Warwick Police Chief John Rader said. "We are out there every day serving and protecting our communities and it is beyond comprehension that our lives and the lives of our families could be targeted for doing our job. The fact that we are sitting here today at this press conference is a testament to the professionalism of the first arriving Town of Warwick police officers at the scene of the early morning fire; the dedication and tenacity of the Town of Warwick Police Detectives and the NY State BCI Investigators that were assigned to this case; the assistance of the Town of Goshen Police Department, Orange County Sheriff's Office, the FBI and the ATF; and the cooperation of the Orange County District Attorney's Office."

The district attorney thanked the joint efforts of the Town of Warwick Police Department, the New York State Police, the Town of Goshen Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as well as the members of the District Attorney’s Office which resulted in Williams' arrest.

"I want to thank District Attorney Hoovler and all of the agencies who were involved in bringing this case to a close," NYSP Troop F Commander Major Michael W. Sumnick said. "The public doesn't often get to see the work that goes on behind the scenes in a complex criminal investigation, and one of our best tools is the close working partnership between agencies. We have first-rate law enforcement here in Orange County and the experience and expertise is second to none. I commend the outstanding efforts of the Warwick Police, Town of Goshen Police, the Orange County Sheriff's Office, my own State Police members, and our federal partners at the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. As members of law enforcement, we accept the dangers of our job and remain focused on making the safety of the public our top priority. But we do not expect that risk to follow us home, putting our member and family in danger — just for doing his job."