NJ Woman Set House On Fire With Family Inside: Prosecutor

RINGOES, NJ - A Ringoes woman intentionally set a fire in a New Jersey home while her family and other tenants were inside, authorities said.

Onika G. Johnson, 44, was arrested and charged Wednesday with attempted murder, aggravated arson and criminal mischief in connection with a residential fire in Ringoes, Hunterdon County Prosecutor Renée M. Robeson and Raritan Township Police Chief Alfred Payne said in a joint statement.

The Raritan Township Fire Marshal and the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office’s Arson Task Force determined that the May 21 fire at 8 Whitetail Way originated in the garage of the residence and that it was started intentionally, Robeson said.

Investigators also found that Johnson, a tenant at the property, purposely or knowingly started the fire, which caused significant structural damage to the residence and risked the lives of its occupants, Robeson added.

“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. “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.”

Johnson is being held at the Warren County Correctional Center pending a pretrial detention hearing on Aug. 15, 2023.

If convicted, she faces up to 35 years in prison and over $300,000 in fines.