Photo of the scene from Derby FD Facebook.
MILFORD – Prosecutors expect to bring an arson charge against a Derby man accused of setting his house on fire, breaking into his neighbor’s house, and attacking his neighbor’s son with hammers.
Andrew Fogarty, 38, was arrested on Dec. 6, 2024, and currently stands accused of disorderly conduct, home invasion, and second-degree assault. The last two charges are felonies.
In court on Thursday (Jan. 9), Fogarty pled not guilty to the charges and put forward an application to obtain a public defender.
Derby police were called to a house fire at 1015 Roosevelt Drive at around 3 a.m. on Dec. 6. Fogarty owns the house and lives with two roommates, including one who was home at the time, police said.
While heading to the scene, officers received information alleging Fogarty snuck into his neighbor’s house at 1017 Roosevelt Drive and hit a teenager with a hammer. Fogarty also owns that house, and the victim was one of his tenants.
Police also said Fogarty had taped metal plates to his body as makeshift body armor, according to a probable cause statement.
The victim was not seriously injured, according to the victim’s father.
Fogarty was arrested and arraigned in Derby before his case was transferred to Milford. He was not initially charged with arson.
Prosecutors said in court that a new arrest warrant has been written for that charge, and that they expect to serve that warrant to Fogarty before his next court date, scheduled for Feb. 20.
