19-year-old charged in connection with massive New Jersey wildfire
A 19-year-old from Ocean Township, New Jersey, is accused of starting a massive wildfire that prompted thousands of evacuations, burned around 15,000 acres, and destroyed a commercial building.
Joseph Kling was arrested and charged with aggravated arson and arson, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said Thursday. The fire, named the Jones Road Wildfire, erupted Tuesday in Waretown and has spread throughout the southern Ocean County area.
Prosecutors accused Kling of setting wooden pallets on fire and then leaving the area without ensuring that the fire was fully extinguished.
As of Thursday morning, it was 50% contained. There have been no reports of deaths or loss of homes.
The Cedar Bridge Fire Tower located a plume of smoke coming from the area of Jones Road and Bryant Road in Ocean Township just before 10 a.m. on Tuesday. Emergency personnel observed a fire within the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust's Forked River Mountains Wilderness Area.
The cause of the fire was determined to be incendiary by an improperly extinguished bonfire, the prosecutor's office said in a news release.
Kling is being held at the Ocean County jail pending a detention hearing.
The inferno has burned about 15,000 acres in Ocean and Lacey Townships, New Jersey Forest Fire Service said in a Thursday morning update on Facebook. Eight structures have been threatened, and one commercial building was destroyed.
About 5,000 residents were evacuated, but evacuations have since been lifted.
On Wednesday, acting New Jersey Gov. Tahesha Way declared a state of emergency. Fire officials and Shawn M. LaTourette, state commissioner of environmental protection, have said that the fire is expected to burn for a couple more days.
LaTourette said it could end up being the biggest wildfire in the state in 20 years.
"Thanks to the incredible, heroic work of the good men and women of our New Jersey Forest Fire Service, folks' homes and lives have been saved and we've truly averted a major disaster," he said Wednesday. "Now, this wildfire is not under full and complete control. We still have a lot of work to do to achieve complete containment of the wildfire."
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- Daily Mail
New Jersey teens charged with aggravated arson tried to blame 'Mexicans' for devastating blaze
Two teenagers accused of starting a wildfire in New Jersey have attempted to dodge responsibility by pointing the finger at immigrants. When questioned about the Jones Road Wildfire, which scorched more than 15,000 acres in Ocean County, 19-year-old Joseph Kling did not deny knowing about the massive blaze. Instead, he blamed a group of 'Mexicans' he claimed to have seen in the woods, but prosecutors said that statement was entirely false - no such group was present and evidence shows Kling and an unnamed 17-year-old accomplice were the ones who started the fire. Kling now faces multiple charges, including aggravated arson and hindering apprehension, for allegedly setting gasoline-soaked wooden pallets ablaze in a remote section of the Pine Barrens on April 22. Both Kling and the other teen allegedly told investigators that Mexicans had been in the area when the fire ignited, according to Assistant Ocean County Prosecutor Gregory Lenzi. But investigators discovered text chats between the teens that 'appear to refute the claim that Mexicans started the fire', Lenzi told Superior Court Judge Pamela Snyder during Kling's detention hearing. The 17-year-old co-defendant is also charged with aggravated arson and hindering apprehension. In addition to consuming nearly 15,300 acres of forest, the blaze destroyed Liberty Door and Awning, a local business, Lenzi said. 'He gambled with the lives and well-being of the people of the community when he lit that fire,' the prosecutor added. According to investigators, Kling and the 17-year-old gathered pallets from a recycling center and transported them to the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area. After a dirt bike crash involving a third teen - identified only as J.M. in court documents - Kling allegedly added more fuel to the fire and then left without attempting to put it out. Hours later, flames were spreading uncontrollably through the forest, threatening over 1,300 structures and prompting air quality warnings that extended to New York City and Long Island. Prosecutors say he gave false statements to law enforcement during the initial stages of the investigation. Although wildfires are not uncommon in New Jersey's Pine Barrens, the size and speed of the Jones Road Fire prompted Acting Governor Tahesha Way to declare a state of emergency on April 23. 'I am declaring a State of Emergency in Ocean County due to the Jones Road Wildfire in the Greenwood Forest Wildfire Management Area near Lacey, Ocean, and Barnegat Townships,' Way posted to her X account. She added: 'At this time, we have no loss of life and no homes have been harmed. If you live in the affected area, please listen to guidance from emergency management officials.' Kling remains in custody as the case unfolds. His attorney, Jim Compitello, argued that his client - a student at Ocean County Vocational-Technical Schools who is just weeks from graduation - should be released pending trial due to his 'strong local ties'. Compitello said the aggravated arson charge reflected 'fear and emotion stirred by the wildfire', not intent. He told the court: 'All we have is an individual who is alleged to have brought pallets and set them on fire. There is no proof that he had an intention to set fire to the forest.'
Daily Mail
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New Jersey teens gave ridiculous excuse before arrest for starting devastating wildfire
Two New Jersey teens are accused of setting one of the largest wildfires the Garden State has endured in decades - then attempting to dodge responsibility by blaming 'Mexicans.' When questioned about the Jones Road Wildfire, which scorched more than 15,000 acres in Ocean County, 19-year-old Joseph Kling did not deny knowing about the massive blaze. Instead, he pointed the finger at a group of 'Mexicans' he claimed to have seen in the woods, the Ashbury Park Press reported. Prosecutors say that statement was entirely false - no such group was present and evidence shows Kling and an unnamed 17-year-old accomplice were the ones who started the fire. Kling now faces multiple charges, including aggravated arson and hindering apprehension, for allegedly setting gasoline-soaked wooden pallets ablaze in a remote section of the Pine Barrens on April 22. Both Kling and the juvenile allegedly told investigators that Mexicans had been in the area when the fire ignited, according to Assistant Ocean County Prosecutor Gregory Lenzi. But investigators discovered text chats between the teens that 'appear to refute the claim that Mexicans started the fire,' Lenzi told Superior Court Judge Pamela Snyder during Kling's detention hearing. Kling's lie adds a troubling layer to an already serious case. The wildfire, now 80 percent contained, forced the evacuation of residents, destroyed one commercial building, damaged several vehicles and left about 25,000 people without power. In addition to consuming nearly 15,300 acres of forest, the blaze destroyed Liberty Door and Awning, a local business, Lenzi said. 'He gambled with the lives and well-being of the people of the community when he lit that fire,' the prosecutor added. According to investigators, Kling and the 17-year-old gathered pallets from a recycling center and transported them to the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area. After a dirt bike crash involving a third teen - identified only as J.M. in court documents - Kling allegedly added more fuel to the fire and then left without attempting to put it out. Hours later, flames were spreading uncontrollably through the forest, threatening over 1,300 structures and prompting air quality warnings that extended to New York City and Long Island. The 17-year-old co-defendant is also charged with aggravated arson and hindering apprehension. Prosecutors say he gave false statements to law enforcement during the initial stages of the investigation. Although wildfires are not uncommon in New Jersey's Pine Barrens, the size and speed of the Jones Road Fire prompted Acting Governor Tahesha Way to declare a state of emergency on April 23. 'I am declaring a State of Emergency in Ocean County due to the Jones Road Wildfire in the Greenwood Forest Wildfire Management Area near Lacey, Ocean, and Barnegat Townships,' Way posted to her X account. 'At this time, we have no loss of life and no homes have been harmed. If you live in the affected area, please listen to guidance from emergency management officials.' Kling remains in custody as the case unfolds. His attorney, Jim Compitello, argued that his client - a student at Ocean County Vocational-Technical Schools who is just weeks from graduation - should be released pending trial due to his 'strong local ties.' Compitello said the aggravated arson charge reflected 'fear and emotion stirred by the wildfire,' not intent. 'All we have is an individual who is alleged to have brought pallets and set them on fire,' he told the court. 'There is no proof that he had an intention to set fire to the forest.' Kling's detention hearing is scheduled to continue at 11 am Monday.
NBC News
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17-year-old charged with arson in connection with New Jersey wildfire
A 17-year-old boy is accused of helping start a massive wildfire in Ocean County, New Jersey, that burned thousands of acres and triggered the evacuations of 5,000, officials said. The teenager, whose identity officials did not reveal, was taken into custody on Thursday and charged with aggravated arson, arson, and hindering apprehension, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office. The 17-year-old is the second person to be arrested in connection with the fire, which broke out last Tuesday and has been coined the Jones Road Wildfire. Last week, 19-year-old Joseph Kling was also arrested and charged with arson in the third degree and aggravated arson in the second degree. He has since been charged with hindering apprehension, the prosecutor's office said. Kling appeared in superior court for the first time Friday morning, though details about the hearing are not immediately available. Prosecutors accuse Kling and the 17-year-old of setting wooden pallets on fire near Jones Road and Bryant Road in Waretown before leaving the area without fully extinguishing the fire. The Cedar Bridge Fire Tower spotted smoke coming from the location last Tuesday morning, and investigators determined that the cause of the fire was "an improperly extinguished bonfire." Prosecutors said that as of Monday, the fire had burned approximately 15,300 acres in Waretown and Lacey townships and destroyed a commercial building. A spokesperson for the NJ Dept. of Environmental Protection told NBC News on Thursday that the Jones Road Wildfire was about 80 percent contained. Both teenagers are also accused of giving law enforcement false information as to how the fire started, which prompted the hindering apprehension charge. According to the prosecutor's office, the 17-year-old is being held at the Ocean County Juvenile Detention Center. Kling was at the Ocean County Jail ahead of his detention hearing. It is not clear if the teenager is being represented by an attorney at this time. An attorney for Kling did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
