East Haven man accused of setting his former home on fire

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    EAST HAVEN, CT (WFSB) — Faced with losing his home, an East Haven man is accused of setting it on fire.

Joshua Miller faced a judge on Monday after being charged with arson and criminal mischief after allegedly setting fire to his old home.

He was released on a promise to appear because there needed to be a probable cause determination by a judge within 48 hours of that arrest. That didn’t happen in this case, which limited the type of bond the judge could set.

With his public defender by his side, Miller learned he’d be going home after spending the weekend behind bars.

According to police, Miller’s family moved out a house on Henry Street in late December and is in the process of losing the home to foreclosure.

“It’s been going on for about a year or so. They managed to hold onto it for a year,” said Joyce Streeter, a neighbor.

Police said on Friday morning, Miller used his mother’s keys to get inside the homes and pick up some belongings.

Miller allegedly told police he was smoking a cigarette in his old bedroom when he threw it on the ground near a towel, angry over the eviction.

He then locked the door and left.

Miller allegedly told his mother the old home was on fire and she called 911 after arriving at the home, smelling smoke, and hearing smoke detectors going off.

When questioned by investigators as to what Miller thought he would see, police said Miller replied, “I wanted to see flames blowing through the roof of the house. I don’t risk nobody’s life, that’s why I did it because it was an empty, vacant house, is why I lit that house with that cigarette.”

Miller is due back in court later this month.

As part of his release, he was told to stay away from the home.

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