Brooklyn Man Who Threw Molotov Cocktail At NYPD Denied Bail: Feds

BROOKLYN, NY — A man accused of throwing a lit Molotov cocktail at police in Brooklyn over the weekend had five more of the homemade devices and a fuel can in his car, according to prosecutors.

Lionel Virgile, 44, made his first court appearance Monday afternoon, two days after he was charged with attempted arson for throwing a lit Molotov cocktail at cops who pulled him over in East Flatbush for running a red light, according to court documents. A judge ordered Virgile stay detained until his trial.

“Virgile’s alleged attack on members of the NYPD is yet another reminder of the danger law enforcement officers face on a daily basis — and today’s charges should serve as a reminder to all that this type of behavior will be met with a swift response," FBI Assistant Director-In-Charge William F. Sweeney said. "As Virgile has now learned, the federal charge he faces carries the potential for a lengthy federal prison sentence."

The chaotic encounter unfolded Saturday morning when NYPD officers watched Virgile drive his Lincoln Town Car through a red light at Clarendon Road and East 45th Street, prosecutors said.

When one of the officers approached his car, Virgile stepped out and threw a cup of bleach onto the cop before driving away, prosecutors said.

The NYPD released body camera footage of the incident, which sent the officer to the hospital with chemical burns.

Cops eventually caught up with Virgile 10 minutes later when he pulled over and threw a lit Molotov cocktail at the police car pursuing him, prosecutors said. The device was a glass bottle with gasoline and a cloth wick inside, officials said.

The Molotov cocktail hit the windshield of the car before shattering on the sidewalk, officials said.

Virgile was arrested minutes later when he crashed into a parked car on Snyder Avenue. Authorities found five more Molotov cocktails and a "red jerry can" inside the car, prosecutors said.

He is charged with attempted arson.