Man sets South Brunswick home on fire after fight with girlfriend, sources say

Tuesday, September 3, 2024
SOUTH BRUNSWICK, New Jersey (WABC) -- Law enforcement sources say a man who got into an argument with his girlfriend set her parents' home on fire in South Brunswick early Tuesday morning.

The fire was reported just after 3 a.m. at the home at 155 Old Beekman Road. It took over 70 firefighters to bring the roaring fire under control.

Law enforcement sources say the suspect, 50-year-old Leonard Jones, lives there on and off and had a fight with his girlfriend.

During the argument, he went upstairs and then came back down before warning her that she should call the fire department, sources say.

The other residents then realized the house had been set on fire.



No injuries were reported and all of the residents of the home made it out safely.

Police were fully aware of a problem Monday night at the residence because they had gotten complaints. It appears this had been an ongoing problem that got out of control.

"We were here two times earlier, once for a noise complaint at about midnight, that noise was abated, and then we got a call about 10 minutes before the fire that there was an out-of-control male at the residence, officers then got a call a fire had broken out, seemed to be out of control, officers responded, by the time they got here, the house was fully engulfed," said South Brunswick Police Department Det. Sgt. Tim Hoover.

Jones has had previous disturbances, but this time he has been charged with aggravated arson.

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