A Dutchess County man and ex-New York State Thruway employee has been charged with attempted arson after trying to light an occupied state-owned vehicle on fire, police said.

State police arrested Bradley R. Straley, 37, of Washington, New York for second-degree attempted arson on Wednesday, July 22 after a call for a reported fire at the Canaan Toll Plaza on Interstate 90 in the town of Canaan, authorities said.

An investigation showed Straley, a recently terminated New York State Thruway employee, attempted to light an occupied NYS Thruway vehicle on fire, police said.

Straley fled the scene before authorities arrived but was later taken into custody by Troop K patrols on the Taconic State Parkway. No one was injured as a result of the incident.

Straley was arraigned virtually before the city of Hudson court and remanded to the Columbia County Jail in lieu of $5,000 bail.

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