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Alexander Gerber, 19, and Connor Dougherty, 20, both of Lacey Township, are facing arson charges for the fire in the women's restroom in Gille Park on Nov. 21, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer and Lacey Township Chief of Police Christopher Kenny said.
The pair are also being held responsible for spray-painting swastikas and other graffiti in various locations of the park, police said. Officers likewise discovered damage to the women’s restroom door in the park.
Police believe swastikas found on a clothing bin located at the Mill Pond Basketball Courts and on the back of the ShopRite building on North Main Street were painted by Dougherty and Gerber, they said.
The pair were identified after Lacey police identified a Chevy pickup truck as being affiliated with one of the incidents. Police stopped the truck when they saw it on Deerhead Lake Drive on Nov. 28, and arrested Gerber, the driver, Billhimer said.
Dougherty surrendered to Lacey police and both were charged accordingly, and taken to the Ocean County Jail. The two are being held pending a detention hearing.
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