Hunterdon woman charged with attempted murder for allegedly setting house on fire
A 44-year-old Raritan Township woman is facing charges of attempted murder and arson for allegedly setting a house on fire in May.
Onika G. Johnson is facing 10 years in state prison if convicted of the first-degree attempted murder charge in connection with the May 21 fire on Whitetail Way in the Ringoes section of the township.
Hunterdon County Prosecutor Renée M. Robeson said the investigation determined that Johnson, a tenant at the residence, allegedly started the fire in the garage which caused significant structural damage to the residence and placed the occupants in danger of death.
Johnson also is facing charges of second-degree aggravated arson and third-degree criminal mischief.
The investigation was conducted by the Raritan Township Police Department, the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office’s Arson Task Force, and Raritan Township Fire Safety Services.
“Aggravated arson is more than a crime against property – it is a crime against the person and, in this case, a personal invasion that endangered the lives, safety, and dignity of the victims in their own home," Robeson said in a statement. "The joint investigation by my office, the Raritan Township Police Department, and the Raritan Township Fire Marshal represents the model coordinated approach to public safety that Hunterdon County deserves.”
No motive for the incident has been released.
Johnson is being held at the Warren County Correctional Center pending a pretrial detention hearing in Hunterdon County Superior Court on Aug. 15.
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At about 6:20 a.m. May 21, Hunterdon County Communications received a 911 call reporting a fire coming from the attached garage at the Whitetail Way home.
Police and volunteer firefighters arriving at the scene found a fire inside the three-car garage of the single-family, two-story residence.
The fire quickly spread throughout the house.
Police officers were able to ensure that all residents were evacuated, and no injuries were reported. The house was declared uninhabitable.
Email: mdeak@mycentraljersey.com
Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account today
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Hunterdon NJ woman charged with attempted murder for alleged arson
