New Details in Fox News Christmas Tree Arson Case — and Suspect Is Out of Jail
Published Date: 12/10/2021
Source: NBC New York
The 49-year-old Brooklyn man arrested for allegedly setting a huge Christmas tree outside the FOX News building in midtown Manhattan ablaze, creating a wild scene and scaring people, allegedly told investigators, "I have been thinking about lighting the tree on fire all day long," according to a criminal complaint released Thursday. Craig Tamanaha was taken into custody at the West 48th Street and Sixth Avenue scene just after midnight Wednesday and arraigned late that night on a bevy of charges, including second-degree criminal mischief, a felony, second-degree reckless endangerment and fifth-degree arson, according to the complaint. The latter two charges are misdemeanors. According to the criminal complaint, Tamanaha allegedly entered a restricted area in front of the FOX News station, where the huge Christmas tree was located. It had just been lit for the season this past weekend. A witness said he and Tamanaha were the only two people in the restricted tree area for 4 minutes, from 12:10 a.m. to 12:14 a.m. Wednesday. The witness said the tree lit up after Tamanaha went in.