Police: Jamesport Man Who Set Girlfriend's Home on Fire, Ran Over Cop, Arrested in New Jersey

A Jamesport man who police say burglarized and set fire to his girlfriend’s Brentwood apartment on Christmas morning and then struck a police officer with a vehicle has been arrested, according to Suffolk police.

Manuel Cuellar, 24, was located in Plainfield, N.J., on Thursday by Suffolk detectives from the Arson Squad and Third Squad, who were assisted by the U.S. Marshals New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force, police said.

Police say Cuellar broke into his girlfriend’s apartment on Westwood Drive in Brentwood at about 2 a.m. on Dec. 25, assaulted her and set fire to the apartment.

As Cuellar fled the scene, he struck a responding Third Precinct police officer with a Chevrolet pickup truck, police said.

Cuellar then crashed the pickup truck a short distance away and fled on foot, police said.

Both Cuellar’s girlfriend and the officer were treated for non-life threatening injuries, police said.

Cuellar is currently charged with second degree arson, but will face additional charges when he returns to New York, police said.

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