RARITAN TOWNSHIP, NJ (Hunterdon County)- A woman is accused of starting a fire in a garage that also caused significant structural damage to the residence in Hunterdon County, according to Hunterdon County Prosecutor Renée M. Robeson.
Onika G. Johnson, 44, of Ringoes was charged on Aug. 9 with first-degree attempted murder, second-degree aggravated arson, and third-degree criminal mischief.
In the early morning hours on Sunday, May 21, police responded to 8 Whitetail Way in the Ringoes section of Raritan Township to investigate a fire at a residence occupied by several family members and tenants, Robeson said.
The Raritan Township Fire Marshal and the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office’s Arson Task Force determined that the fire originated in the garage of the residence and that it was started intentionally. Investigators further determined that Johnson, a tenant at the residence, purposely or knowingly started the fire, which caused significant structural damage to the residence and placed the occupants in danger of death, Robeson said.
“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. 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,” Robeson said.
Johnson is being held at the Warren County Correctional Center pending a pretrial detention hearing on August 15, Robeson said.
First-degree charges may result in criminal penalties including, but not limited to, a term of imprisonment between ten and twenty years and a fine not to exceed $200,000. Second-degree charges may result in criminal penalties including, but not limited to, a term of imprisonment between five and ten years and a fine not to exceed $150,000. Third-degree charges may result in criminal penalties including, but not limited to, a term of imprisonment between three and five years and a fine not to exceed $15,000.
