Detention Hearing Delayed For Man Accused Of Arson In Massive NJ Wildfire

WARETOWN, NJ — The Waretown man accused of igniting a bonfire that grew to one of the largest wildfires in New Jersey history will remain jailed until at least Friday.

Joseph Kling, 19, appeared Tuesday morning in Ocean County Superior Court for a detention hearing. However, prosecutors asked for the hearing to be delayed, and it was adjourned until Friday.

Kling, charged with aggravated arson and arson, is accused of setting wooden pallets on fire in the area of the Forked River Mountains - and then leaving the area without the fire being fully extinguished, authorities said. That location is close to where Kling lives, authorities said.

"We believe he is the person responsible for starting this fire and we intend to prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law," Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer previously said.

That fire spread and became the Jones Road Wildfire, which burned 15,300 acres in Barnegat, Lacey and Ocean (Waretown) townships and was 75 percent contained as of Monday.

Court records show that Kling was charged with simple assault and endangering an injured victim this past January following a brawl at the Lacey Materials site and received a citation the same month for having an open fire in Lacey. He was fined $533 for that citation, records show.

Additional reporting:

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• Smoke Conditions From Ocean County Fire To Linger: Here's Why
• Waretown Man Accused Of Starting Jones Road Fire That Burned 15K Acres
• 12K Acre Wildfire Could Grow To NJ's Largest In 20 Years, Officials Say
• 10 Largest Wildfires In New Jersey's History: See Where They Burned, When
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• Support Surges For Responders Amid Jones Road Wildfire In NJ
• NJ Wildfire: Pictures, Videos Depict Damage As Fire Rages
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