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Justin Liebhauser, 19, of Randolph, and Gianni Aveta, 18, of Wayne, were charged with aggravated arson in the incident that occurred in Beach Haven.
On July 22, a 53-year-old woman entered the Beach Haven Police Department to report that at approximately 10:15 p.m., she had been struck by a firework explosive that was thrown from a motor vehicle.
She told police that she was walking on Pennsylvania Avenue when a firework was thrown from the passenger side of a Jeep Wrangler. The firework exploded and struck her in the arm and rib area, causing her clothes to catch fire, according to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer and Beach Haven Police Chief James Markoski.
Officers contacted EMS, and the victim was treated for second-degree burns to her arm.
At approximately 11:30 p.m., Officers from the Beach Haven Police Department stopped a Jeep Wtangler matching the description of the vehicle described by the victim. The vehicle was being operated by Liebhauser — with Aveta and three minors as passengers, according to Billhimer and Markoski.
An investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit and Beach Haven Police Department revealed that Liebhauser was operating the vehicle with Aveta and the two minors as passengers in the area of Pennsylvania Avenue earlier in the evening, Billhimer and Markoski said.
Liebhauser allegedly handed a five-inch shell mortar firework to Aveta, who then lit the firework and threw it out of the passenger side of the vehicle, striking the victim, according to the prosecutor and police chief.
Liebhauser and Aveta were served with the charges via summons pending an upcoming first appearance in Ocean County Superior Court.
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