Boy, 13, arrested in school roof fire
Aberdeen police: Probe ongoing
Published in the Asbury Park Press 04/6/05
By JUSTIN VELLUCCI
KEYPORT BUREAU
ABERDEEN — Authorities have arrested a 13-year-old boy from the
township's Cliffwood Beach section in connection with the Labor Day
fire at Matawan Avenue Middle School that cost the school district's
insurance carrier nearly $2.3 million.
On Monday, detectives from the Police Department and the Monmouth
County Prosecutor's Office charged the boy, who was 12 at the time of
the fire, with aggravated arson. The charge carries a maximum penalty
of three years in a youth detention center, First Assistant Prosecutor
Robert A. Honecker Jr. said.
Honecker said the teen, who police think may not have acted alone,
climbed onto the school's roof Sept. 6 and used a lighter to ignite
paper and tar on top of the building. The teen was arrested at an
Aberdeen shopping center Monday night and was being held at the
Monmouth County Youth Detention Center in Freehold Township, Aberdeen
Deputy Chief John Powers said.
The suspect is not a student at the middle school. Honecker declined
to say where he is enrolled. Due to the "serious nature of the crime,"
the teen will be held at the detention center at least until a
probable cause hearing later this week, he said.
Authorities would not elaborate on a possible motive.
Powers said Tuesday he was proud authorities were able to make an
arrest in the case.
"The detectives — both our detectives and (those) from the
Prosecutor's Office — put a lot of time and effort into investigating
it, and we're pleased that at least we've got one person that's been
charged," Powers said.
School year disrupted
Several officials and parents also were glad there's been an arrest,
saying it provided closure to a year in which the school's calendar
and a $14 million construction project were thrown off by the fire.
"We're very pleased that the Police Department has been able to make
an arrest in this case," Schools Superintendent Bruce Quinn said. "The
incident was extremely disturbing and disruptive to the school
district. We'll be happy when the incident is behind us and we can
feel a sense of normalcy within the district."
While Business Administrator and Board Secretary Laura Venter said the
cost of repairs topped $2 million, the district's insurance company —
New Jersey School Boards Association Insurance Group — will foot
nearly all of the bill. The district is only responsible for a $5,000
deductible.
Officials offered $11,000 in rewards for information leading to
convictions in connection with the fire. Honecker said it did not
appear the reward led to information related to Monday's arrest.
The fire delayed the scheduled Sept. 9 start of the year at the middle
school by two weeks and forced closing off of several damaged
classrooms. The gymnasium was converted into space for four classes
and about 100 sixth-grade students were relocated to Lloyd Road
Elementary School.
"The school's been a mess — they're still not done with it," said
Dolores Bittner, a longtime Matawan Avenue resident whose grandson
goes to the nearby middle school.
Rosemarie Conner, whose daughter is an eighth-grader, said the fire
also had a human impact.
"It disrupted everyone," Conner said. "I just felt badly for the
children that are doing the show . . . because their auditorium was
destroyed and (the repairs are) not completely finished yet."
Suspect's age noted
Matawan-Aberdeen Regional Board of Education President Catherine T.
Zavorskas had mixed feelings about Monday's arrest.
"I'm surprised and relieved that they were able to arrest someone,"
Zavorskas said. "But it's really sad. It makes it even more sad and
upsetting to me that it would be a child."
Diane DeNardo, whose own son is 13, also was upset when she heard the
age of the suspect.
"Of course, you have mixed feelings because it's a kid and, you know,
kids do stupid stuff," said DeNardo, 44. "Thank God no one was hurt or
died. It was an inconvenience (but) the school district handled it
great."
Aberdeen police are continuing to investigate whether anyone else may
have been involved. They do not think the Labor Day incident was
related to a fire earlier in 2004 at Strathmore Elementary School on
Church Street, he said.
Justin Vellucci: (732) 888-2617 or jvellucci@app.com
Aberdeen police are continuing to investigate the Matawan Avenue
Middle School fire. Anyone with information can call the department's
detective bureau at (732) 566-2054.
Aberdeen police: Probe ongoing
Published in the Asbury Park Press 04/6/05
By JUSTIN VELLUCCI
KEYPORT BUREAU
ABERDEEN — Authorities have arrested a 13-year-old boy from the
township's Cliffwood Beach section in connection with the Labor Day
fire at Matawan Avenue Middle School that cost the school district's
insurance carrier nearly $2.3 million.
On Monday, detectives from the Police Department and the Monmouth
County Prosecutor's Office charged the boy, who was 12 at the time of
the fire, with aggravated arson. The charge carries a maximum penalty
of three years in a youth detention center, First Assistant Prosecutor
Robert A. Honecker Jr. said.
Honecker said the teen, who police think may not have acted alone,
climbed onto the school's roof Sept. 6 and used a lighter to ignite
paper and tar on top of the building. The teen was arrested at an
Aberdeen shopping center Monday night and was being held at the
Monmouth County Youth Detention Center in Freehold Township, Aberdeen
Deputy Chief John Powers said.
The suspect is not a student at the middle school. Honecker declined
to say where he is enrolled. Due to the "serious nature of the crime,"
the teen will be held at the detention center at least until a
probable cause hearing later this week, he said.
Authorities would not elaborate on a possible motive.
Powers said Tuesday he was proud authorities were able to make an
arrest in the case.
"The detectives — both our detectives and (those) from the
Prosecutor's Office — put a lot of time and effort into investigating
it, and we're pleased that at least we've got one person that's been
charged," Powers said.
School year disrupted
Several officials and parents also were glad there's been an arrest,
saying it provided closure to a year in which the school's calendar
and a $14 million construction project were thrown off by the fire.
"We're very pleased that the Police Department has been able to make
an arrest in this case," Schools Superintendent Bruce Quinn said. "The
incident was extremely disturbing and disruptive to the school
district. We'll be happy when the incident is behind us and we can
feel a sense of normalcy within the district."
While Business Administrator and Board Secretary Laura Venter said the
cost of repairs topped $2 million, the district's insurance company —
New Jersey School Boards Association Insurance Group — will foot
nearly all of the bill. The district is only responsible for a $5,000
deductible.
Officials offered $11,000 in rewards for information leading to
convictions in connection with the fire. Honecker said it did not
appear the reward led to information related to Monday's arrest.
The fire delayed the scheduled Sept. 9 start of the year at the middle
school by two weeks and forced closing off of several damaged
classrooms. The gymnasium was converted into space for four classes
and about 100 sixth-grade students were relocated to Lloyd Road
Elementary School.
"The school's been a mess — they're still not done with it," said
Dolores Bittner, a longtime Matawan Avenue resident whose grandson
goes to the nearby middle school.
Rosemarie Conner, whose daughter is an eighth-grader, said the fire
also had a human impact.
"It disrupted everyone," Conner said. "I just felt badly for the
children that are doing the show . . . because their auditorium was
destroyed and (the repairs are) not completely finished yet."
Suspect's age noted
Matawan-Aberdeen Regional Board of Education President Catherine T.
Zavorskas had mixed feelings about Monday's arrest.
"I'm surprised and relieved that they were able to arrest someone,"
Zavorskas said. "But it's really sad. It makes it even more sad and
upsetting to me that it would be a child."
Diane DeNardo, whose own son is 13, also was upset when she heard the
age of the suspect.
"Of course, you have mixed feelings because it's a kid and, you know,
kids do stupid stuff," said DeNardo, 44. "Thank God no one was hurt or
died. It was an inconvenience (but) the school district handled it
great."
Aberdeen police are continuing to investigate whether anyone else may
have been involved. They do not think the Labor Day incident was
related to a fire earlier in 2004 at Strathmore Elementary School on
Church Street, he said.
Justin Vellucci: (732) 888-2617 or jvellucci@app.com
Aberdeen police are continuing to investigate the Matawan Avenue
Middle School fire. Anyone with information can call the department's
detective bureau at (732) 566-2054.
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