PORT RICHMOND — The man arrested for pouring gasoline on the steps of a church community center said it was an accident that happened while he was on his way to clean his nearby yard, prosecutors said.
Willie Griggs, 32, walked into the community center owned by St. Phillips Baptist Church on Saturday morning while the church's drum line of children practiced inside, police and Deacon John McBeth said.
People asked Griggs if he needed help or was looking for something when Griggs stole a kid's drum stick, walked out and poured gasoline from a container onto the steps at about 10:45 a.m., the NYPD said.
Eventually officers caught Griggs walking back to the church nearly two hours later and arrested him.
Griggs told police the whole thing was an accident and he was on his way back home from picking up the gas to clean his yard, according to his criminal complaint.
"I went to clean up my yard but I didn't have gas," he told police, according to court papers. "I walked to the gas station and got gas, when I exited the community center, I spilled some gas by accident."
Officers found a lighter on Griggs — who has 10 prior arrests — at the time and the fuel never went up in flames, police said.
Griggs was charged with attempted arson, attempted reckless endangerment, petit larceny, criminal possession of stolen property and trespassing at his Monday arraignment, according to the Staten Island District Attorney's office.
His bail was set at $100,000 and he's due back in court on Dec. 5, according to online court records.
Griggs' lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
