Briarcliff Man Charged with Setting Stolen Car on Fire in Yorktown
A Briarcliff man was charged Wednesday with setting a stolen car on fire in the woods in the Town of Yorktown.
Michael Novelli, 26, of Chappaqua Road, was charged with arson in the third degree and criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree, both felonies, and misdemeanor criminal possession of a controlled substance after two Yorktown Police officers found him walking in the woods on Baldwin Road with visible burns on his hands and arms.
Police received several 911 calls from residents about a vehicle a fire behind 1870 Baldwin Road. Officers that arrived on the scene found a car fully engulfed in flames and quickly identified the vehicle as being stolen out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Further investigation determined Novelli had been driving the vehicle, which was reported stolen two days earlier from Fort Lauderdale Airport, and had set the car on fire. He was also found to be in possession of a quantity of heroin.
Novelli was issue three court appearance tickets and was released on his own recognizance. He is due to appear in Yorktown Town Justice Court on August 6.
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