El fiscal del condado de Ocean, Bradley D.. Billhimer anunció que en enero 28, 2026, Juliette Tournier, 30, of Horsham, Pensilvania, was indicted by a Grand Jury sitting in Ocean County on the charges of Aggravated Arson and Eluding in connection with incidents that occurred in Surf City and Ship Bottom on February 19, 2025.
En febrero 19, 2025, aproximadamente a 8:40 pm., the Surf City Police and Fire Departments were dispatched for a report of a structure fire on North Central Avenue. Durante los esfuerzos de extinción de incendios, a firefighter sustained injuries; the firefighter was transported to Southern Ocean Medical Center in Stafford Township, donde fue atendido por sus heridas y posteriormente puesto en libertad.
Una investigación exhaustiva y extensa realizada por la Unidad de Delitos Mayores-Escuadrón de Incendios Incendiarios de la Oficina del Fiscal del Condado de Ocean, Unidad de Investigación de la Escena del Crimen de la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Ocean, Departamento de policía de Surf City, y la Oficina del Jefe de Bomberos del Condado de Ocean, revealed that there were two separate locations of origin for the fire – one upstairs and one downstairs. Detectives further determined that in both cases, the cause of the fire was incendiary by an unknown person utilizing an open flame to ignitable liquids.
While investigating the fire, Detectives discovered that on February 19, 2025, aproximadamente a 8:20 pm., Officers from the Ship Bottom Police Department attempted to effectuate a motor vehicle stop on a Honda HRV that was traveling westbound on Route 72. The driver of the vehicle initially pulled over in a location that was unsafe for a motor vehicle stop to be conducted. The Officer approached the vehicle and asked the driver, later identified as Tournier, to drive over the bridge so that a safe motor vehicle stop could be conducted. When the Officer attempted to effectuate the motor vehicle stop further up the road, the Honda sped off and failed to pull over. Por razones de seguridad, the Officer terminated the pursuit. A subsequent investigation into the incident revealed that earlier in the day, the license plate attached to the eluding vehicle had been stolen from a similar Honda in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Detectives were able to identify Tournier as the individual who stole the license plate. En febrero 20, 2025, Tournier was charged with Eluding and Receiving Stolen Property. A warrant was issued for her arrest, and her name was entered into the National Crime Information Center database.
Continuing investigation revealed that Tournier was also the individual responsible for setting the fires at the residence in Surf City on February 19, 2025. Como tal, Tournier was charged with Aggravated Arson on February 25, 2025. En febrero 26, 2025, Tournier surrendered herself to the Surf City Police Department. She was taken into custody and transported to the Ocean County Jail and subsequently released as a consequence of New Jersey Bail Reform.
Prosecutor Billhimer acknowledges the diligent efforts of Senior Assistant Prosecutor Kate Burke who presented the case to the Grand Jury on behalf of the State, y elogia la oficina del fiscal del condado de Ocean Mayor Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Departamento de policía de Surf City, Departamento de policía de fondo del barco, Cherry Hill Police Department, Municipio de Horsham (Pensilvania) Departamento de Policia, Philadelphia Police Department, Oficina del Jefe de Bomberos del Condado de Ocean, y la Unidad de Investigación de la Escena del Crimen de la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Ocean, por sus esfuerzos de colaboración en relación con estas investigaciones.
Los cargos mencionados anteriormente son meras acusaciones y se recuerda a la prensa y al público que todos los acusados se presumen inocentes a menos y hasta que se demuestre su culpabilidad más allá de toda duda razonable en un tribunal de justicia..
RPC. 3.6(b)(6).