BARNEGAT – Two local residents have been charged in connection with a flare gun attack that sparked a residential fire in Barnegat over the weekend, authorities announced.
The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office said 18-year-old Kaele Principato of Barnegat and 18-year-old Lucas Pyle of Egg Harbor City, were charged with aggravated arson and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
The charges stem from a June 7 incident in which a flare gun was fired through a window of a home on Schooner Avenue around 2:50 p.m., igniting the curtains in the living room and starting a fire. Residents were able to extinguish the flames before first responders arrived.
An investigation involving multiple agencies — including the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Arson Squad, Barnegat Township Police, the County Fire Marshal’s K-9 Unit, and the Sheriff’s Crime Scene Investigation Unit — determined the fire was incendiary and identified Principato and Pyle as the suspects.
The two were arrested June 9 at Barnegat Township Police Headquarters and are currently being held in the Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing.
Prosecutor Billhimer praised the coordinated efforts of the responding law enforcement and investigative agencies.
