Stony Brook Man Charged With Arson Following Sycamore Circle Incident

Suffolk County police have arrested a 34-year-old Stony Brook man in connection with the fire at a Sycamore Circle home on Thursday.

Thomas Steinmetz was arrested at 11 a.m. on Friday at a home on Davis Lane in Stony Brook, and is set to be arraigned Sunday at First District Court in Central Islip.

Steinmetz was arrested on three charges: fourth-degree arson, a felony; criminal possession of precursors of methamphetamine, a felony; and first-degree reckless endangerment, a felony.

On Thursday, police did not immediately confirm that the incident involved methamphetamine but said on Sunday that it did involve the drug. The incident, which occurred early Thursday morning, sent two officers to the hospital for smoke inhalation.

A police spokesperson said the reckless endangerment charge stemmed from the fact that there were other people inside the Sycamore Circle house at the time of the incident.

Court records also show Steinmetz was arrested in July for alleged criminal possession of a hypodermic instrument and criminal possession of a controlled substance, both misdemeanors, for which he is due back in court in January.