Pennsylvania woman indicted on arson and eluding charges after Shore fire injures firefighter
Surf City, NJ – A Pennsylvania woman has been indicted by an Ocean County grand jury after investigators say she set a fire inside a Long Beach Island home and fled police during a separate traffic incident the same night, leaving a firefighter injured and a Shore community shaken.
Juliette Tournier, 30, of Horsham, Pennsylvania, was indicted on charges of aggravated arson and eluding stemming from incidents that unfolded on the evening of February 19 in Surf City and Ship Bottom, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.
Emergency crews were dispatched around 8:40 p.m. to a structure fire on North Central Avenue in Surf City. During efforts to suppress the blaze, a firefighter suffered injuries and was transported to Southern Ocean Medical Center, where treatment was provided before release.
Investigators later determined the fire was intentionally set, identifying two separate points of origin inside the residence, one upstairs and one downstairs. Authorities concluded the fires were ignited using an open flame and ignitable liquids.
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While the arson investigation was underway, detectives learned of a separate incident earlier that night involving a vehicle fleeing police. At approximately 8:20 p.m., officers in Ship Bottom attempted to stop a Honda HRV traveling westbound on Route 72. The driver initially pulled over in an unsafe location and was instructed to continue to a safer area. Instead, the vehicle sped away, and officers terminated the pursuit due to safety concerns.
Further investigation revealed the license plate on the vehicle had been stolen earlier that day from a similar Honda in Cherry Hill. Detectives identified Tournier as the driver and the individual responsible for the stolen plate. She was charged with eluding and receiving stolen property on February 20, and a warrant was issued for her arrest.
Authorities later linked Tournier to the Surf City fire, and she was charged with aggravated arson on February 25. She surrendered to police the following day, was lodged in the Ocean County Jail, and later released under New Jersey bail reform.
The case was presented to the grand jury by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, with assistance from multiple local and regional law enforcement agencies across New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Key Points
Making news today, Police search for missing 12 year old last seen in Catonsville.
- A Pennsylvania woman was indicted for aggravated arson and eluding in Ocean County
- Investigators say a Surf City fire was intentionally set and injured a firefighter
- Authorities linked the suspect to a police pursuit involving a stolen license plate
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