Doorbell camera footage sent to Greater Long Island purportedly shows alleged brush fire arsonist and Medford volunteer firefighter Jonathan Quiles sparking the blaze that landed him in jail Tuesday.
Quiles, 20, of Medford, was later arrested on charges of fourth- and fifth-degree arson and second-degree reckless endangerment.
He was arraigned Wednesday in First District Court in Central Islip and released without bail, prosecutors said.
The video below, captured by a Ring security camera and sent to GLI by a source, shows the driver of a compact sedan pulling off Mount Vernon Avenue in Medford shortly before the fire started there Tuesday, and heading into nearby brush with something in his hand.
Tap the play button below to watch.
The brush fire was reported around 3:35 p.m. Tuesday. It was contained to the woods adjacent to Mount Vernon Avenue, not far from busy Route 112, Suffolk Police said.
Suffolk Arson Section detectives carried out the investigation that led to Quiles’ arrest, police said.
Later Wednesday, Suffolk County District attorney Raymond Tierney expressed extreme disappointment that Quiles could not be held in custody.
“Unfortunately, under New York’s ‘Bail Reform,’ intentionally setting fires in the midst of the dangerously dry conditions and a statewide burn ban are not bail eligible offenses, meaning my prosecutors cannot even ask for bail on these charges,” he said. “Our New York lawmakers need to get their act together and pass common sense fixes to a broken bail system.”
The criminal complaint, which was reviewed by CBS News and other outlets, alleges Quiles lit cotton balls on fire and threw them. He’s also accused of damaging a 2004 Chevrolet that was parked near the brush fire.
Defense attorney Anthony LaPinta told CBS News that Quiles isn’t typically a violent man.
“He’s not a problematic kid. He’s a good kid who has had some psychological issues,” he told the outlet.
Quiles is reportedly suspended from the Medford Fire Department, where he was an aspiring EMT. A 2020 graduate of Patchogue-Medford High School, Quiles was then a member of the school’s unified basketball team.
The Suffolk DA’s office has been contacted to see if they were reviewing the same footage acquired by Greater Long Island.
Below is the full video that was sent to Greater Long Island:
Dry weather persists
The National Weather Service this week has issued a Red Flag Warning for across Long Island, which is in the midst of a long dry spell, with Suffolk’s Pine Barrens of chief concern. The service’s hazardous weather outlook is in effect for all of southern Connecticut, northeastern New Jersey and southeastern New York, including Nassau and Suffolk counties.
Suffolk County Parks has issued a ban on all campfires and open flames in all county parks due to a combination of strong winds, low relative humidity and dry fuels that would create a significant elevated fire growth potential in the event of a spark, officials said.
Meanwhile, Gov. Kathy Hocul on Tuesday issued a statewide burn ban, as fire crews from throughout the state continue to battle wildfires in Ulster, Sullivan and Orange counties. There have been numerous brush fires across Suffolk County.
The governor said it’s “absolutely critical that New Yorkers avoid any outdoor burning at this time.”
Late Friday night, the Medford Fire Department also responded to a large brush fire near Sipp and Southaven avenues, emergency officials said, with another discovered nearby that required an effort to contain the flames and protect homes.
— with Brian Harmon
