Three arrested in connection with Sand Lake fire | News

SAND LAKE - Three people have been arrested in connection with a Saturday morning fire that burned down a historic home on Route 43 in the Town of Sand Lake.

Rensselaer County Sheriff Jack Mahar said that the three people were arrested Wednesday night after the Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Office and Rensselaer County Fire Investigation Unit responded to the scene of the fire.

On Sunday, Feb. 12 around 4 a.m. a person was driving on Route 43 in the Town of Sand Lake when they saw a house on fire. The house formally served as the Funeral Parlor in Glass Lake for almost 100 years.

The driver called 911 and then tried to go inside the home to see if anyone was there. He was not able to because of the heat and smoke. The Averill Park Fire Department and at least 16 other local departments assisted in putting out the fire which completely destroyed the home. The neighboring home was not completely lost because of the quick work of the fire departments.

Three firefighters suffered minor injuries and one of them required medical attention and two fire trucks from the Averill Park Fire Department were damaged due to heat. Three cats belonging to the owner died in the fire.

After a joint investigation, 20-year-old Christopher J. Felt, 18-year-old Rustin D. Atchinson II of West Sand Lake and 19-year-old Allyson J. Leavenworth of Schodack were arrested. Police say Felt lived in the home that burned.

Felt and Atchinson were charged with felonies of arson, criminal mischief, reckless endangerment, conspiracy, three counts of aggravated cruelty to animals and misdemeanor of assault.

Felt was also charged with misdemeanor of making a punishable false written statement. He is accused of providing false information under a sworn statement to deputies. Leavenworth was charged with conspiracy.

All three were arraigned Sand Lake Town Court Wednesday night. Leavenworth was released to Supervision of Probation and Felt was taken to the Rensselaer County Jail on $10,000 bail. Atchinson was taken to the jail on $5,000 bail.

The investigation continues and anyone with information is asked to call investigators at 518-266-1981.