What to Know
- A Queens man was charged in connection with the arson of an NYPD vehicle in Manhattan earlier this month.
- According to a criminal complaint, Victor A. Sanchez-Santa faces one count of arson after he "maliciously damaged and destroyed, and attempted to damage and destroy, by means of fire and an explosive, a vehicle, in whole and in part owned and possessed by an institution and organization receiving Federal financial assistance" on June 9
- During an interview with law enforcement on June 10, Sanchez-Santa allegedly acknowledged that he owned the Honda and admitted that he had been driving the Honda in Manhattan around 1:00 a.m. on June 9.
A Queens man was arrested and charged in connection with the arson of an NYPD vehicle in Manhattan earlier this month.
According to a complaint filed by the Southern District of New York Court, Victor A. Sanchez-Santa faces one count of arson after he "maliciously damaged and destroyed, and attempted to damage and destroy, by means of fire and an explosive, a vehicle, in whole and in part owned and possessed by an institution and organization receiving Federal financial assistance" on June 9.
The complaint alleges that video recordings of Sanchez-Santa were captured by a video camera outside 515 W. 42nd St. and other cameras in the vicinity of the premises.
At about 1:20 a.m. on June 9, according to the complaint referencing the video, an individual later identified as Sanchez-Santa, was allegedly driving a light-colored two-door Honda Civic sedan with gold wheel rims, bearing a temporary tag and drove the car along W. 42nd Street and stopped in front of the premises. He allegedly parked the Honda alongside a marked NYPD vehicle and exited the Honda from the driver’s side door, walked around the rear of the Honda, and approached the NYPD Vehicle.
He then returned to the passenger’s side of the Honda, held an object later identified as a cloth glove and lit it on fire, according to the complaint. He allegedly stepped away from the Honda toward the NYPD vehicle and tossed the burning glove on the pavement underneath it.
Subsequently, Sanchez-Santa walked around the front of the Honda, reentered the vehicle through the driver’s side door, and drove away, the complaint said.
News
Based on a review of vehicle registration records and using the surveillance video, law enforcement learned the car was registered to an individual named “Victor A. Sanchez-Santa" of Queens, according to the complaint.
During an interview with law enforcement on June 10, Sanchez-Santa allegedly acknowledged that he owned the Honda and admitted that he had been driving the Honda in Manhattan around 1:00 a.m. on June 9.
Attorney information for the accused was not immediately known. At his appearance in U.S. District Court Thursday afternoon, Sanchez-Santa was released on $25,000 recognizance bond, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's office said.
