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Onika G. Johnson, 44, of Ringoes, was charged with first-degree attempted murder, second-degree aggravated arson, and criminal mischief on Wednesday, August 9, Hunterdon County Prosecutor Renée M. Robeson announced alongside local officials.
Johnson was living at 8 Whitehall Way in Ringoes when she intentionally started a fire in the garage while the residence was occupied by “several family members and tenants" on Sunday, May 21, Robeson said.
The fire caused major structural damage and put its occupants “in danger of death,” the prosecutor 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 was being held at the Warren County Correctional Center pending a pretrial detention hearing on Tuesday, August 15.
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