Lacey Township, NJ – A Lacey Township man has been charged with aggravated arson after investigators determined that a residential fire was deliberately set inside a Hillwood Road home Tuesday afternoon.
Emergency crews responded to the property around 1:05 p.m. after receiving reports of a house fire involving furniture.
Firefighters quickly contained the blaze, which was found to have started on a couch and ottoman in the living room, authorities said.
Following a joint investigation, 43-year-old Taquan Shelton, a renter at the residence, was identified as the suspect responsible for starting the fire.
Investigators trace cause to open flame and accelerant
The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad determined that the fire was ignited using an open flame combined with a flammable liquid. No injuries were reported, and damage was limited to the affected area of the home.
Shelton was arrested at Lacey Township Police Headquarters and taken to the Ocean County Jail, where he remains pending a detention hearing.
Multi-agency investigation credited
The investigation involved multiple agencies, including the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, Lacey Township Police Detective Bureau, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigations Unit, the New Jersey State Fire Marshal’s K-9 Unit, and the Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office.
Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer praised the coordination among the responding units, noting their swift actions led to the prompt identification and arrest of the suspect.