Teenager convicted of setting school fire

Facing three years at juvenile facility

Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 01/12/06

BY KAREN SUDOL AND JUSTIN VELLUCCI
STAFF WRITERS

FREEHOLD — A 14-year-old boy has been convicted of starting a fire at Matawan Avenue Middle School on Labor Day 2004 that caused more than $2 million in damages, delayed the start of the school year by two weeks and stalled a multimillion-dollar construction project.

The Aberdeen teenager, whom authorities did not name, could face up to three years at the New Jersey Training School for Boys, Monroe, when sentenced Jan. 20 for the second-degree aggravated arson charge. He currently is being monitored electronically, Monmouth County Prosecutor Luis A. Valentin said.

Matawan-Aberdeen Regional Schools Superintendent Bruce Quinn welcomed the news of the conviction, saying he or middle school Principal Walter Uszenski will speak at the teen's sentencing.

"What we're going to basically do is explain to the judge the amount of inconvenience it caused the kids, the disruption to the educational process, the amount of money that was expended by the board (and) the delay of building the addition,'' Quinn said. "There was an educational impact. And there's no dollar amount you can put on that.''

Authorities said the boy, who does not attend the middle school, was 12 when he and another juvenile climbed onto the school's roof on Sept. 6, 2004, and set fire to materials being stored there. The second juvenile has not been identified, Valentin said.

Although the fire was quickly extinguished, it has caused nearly $2.1 million in damage, and Quinn said officials are still sizing up the economic impact on the district and its taxpayers. While the district only was responsible for a $5,000 deductible, its insurance company … New Jersey School Boards Association Insurance Group … indicated last year it may consider legal action against the teenager and his family.

An investigation by Aberdeen police and the county Prosecutor's Office led to the arrest of the teen in April at an Aberdeen shopping center. He later was released from the county Youth Detention Center, Freehold Township, and monitored electronically.

The case was tried before Superior Court Judge Eugene A. Iadanza in December and this month. The teen was convicted Jan. 5, and prosecutors likely will make a request for restitution at the teen's sentencing, Valentin said.

"We're just elated that justice has been done, after all the trials and tribulations that (we went) through with the fire and the loss of the building,'' said Uszenski, the middle school principal.

Anna DeNardo, whose two children attend Strathmore Elementary School, was pleased with the conviction but still upset about the nature of the crime.

"I'm glad that they caught the child, yes,'' DeNardo said. "I mean, I'm not happy about the whole thing. It's a terrible thing that such a young child would something like that.''

The fire delayed the scheduled Sept. 9, 2004, start of the year at the middle school by two weeks and forced the closing of several damaged classrooms. While school officials converted a gymnasium into space for four classes, about 100 sixth-graders were relocated to Lloyd Road Elementary School.

Once there, one district employee said, they did what was necessary to make the most of the situation.

"Everyone made sacrifices to make it work for the kids at the middle school,'' said Pat Reingle, who works in Lloyd Road Elementary School's library. "We did what we had to do.''

The fire also delayed completion of a $15.2 million construction project that aimed to add 42,000 square feet to the 980-student school. One of the centerpieces of a $36.9 million proposal approved by voters in 2002, the Matawan Avenue Middle School renovations included construction of 22 instructional spaces and three guidance offices, a 9,000-square-foot gymnasium complete with a varsity-size basketball court, a cafeteria, restrooms, a renovated media center and computer labs, and a refurbished 420-seat auditorium.

An open house for the construction project should be held around the end of the month, Quinn said.

This story contains material from previous Press stories.