Endicott man pleads guilty to setting stove, vehicle on fire

BINGHAMTON (WBNG) -- An Endicott man pleaded guilty to lighting fires in the village in 2021 in Broome County Court Monday.

The Broome County District Attorney’s Office said Philip A. Garcia admitted to intentionally damaging property by setting fires. Garcia set a stove on fire inside of a Hillside Court apartment and then the inside of a vehicle by lighting objects in the side vehicle on fire. This occurred after a domestic dispute with a 31-year-old woman.

The district attorney’s office said the fire inside the apartment was put out by residents. It sustained minimal smoke damage. The Endicott Fire Department responded to the vehicle fire and put it out.

The DA’s office noted that Garcia has a criminal history dating back to 1992, but did not specify any crimes.

Garcia will be sentenced to five years in prison followed by two and half years of post-release supervision when he is sentenced on June 9.

“Thanks to the Endicott Fire Department for preventing further injury or damage to persons or property,” said District Attorney Michael Korchak. “Defendant Garcia is being held accountable for his actions that could have had a catastrophic result.”

The Endicott Police Department investigated the case.

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