Officer allegedly set fire to superior’s home Monday
By Charles W. Kim, Managing Editor
MONROE – An Edison police officer is facing attempted murder and aggravated arson charges for allegedly setting fire to the Arlene Drive home of a superior and his family early Monday morning.
According to a Thursday evening press release from acting Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey and Monroe Chief of Police Michael E. Lloyd, Edison Police Officer Michael A. Dotro, 35, of Manalapan was arrested at his Monmouth County home Thursday afternoon and charged with five counts of attempted murder and one count of aggravated arson.
Mr. Dotro, a nine-year veteran of the Edison Police Department, was charged following an "intensive" investigation into the early morning fire at the home of Edison Police Capt. Mark Anderko, police said.
According to police, Mr. Dotro intentionally set fire to the outside of the residence as the family, consisting of Capt. Anderko, his wife, two children and 92-year-old mother slept.
Capt. Anderko and his family were able to escape the 4 a.m. blaze which "extensively" damaged the two-story, colonial home, according to police.
Police, EMT workers and firefighters from Monroe Township Fire Stations 23-A, 23-B, 51 and 57 arrived. The fire was extinguished within 10 to 15 minutes, according to police.
Acting Prosecutor Carey thanked investigators for their tireless efforts to quickly secure evidence and identify and charge the suspect, according to the release.
Mr. Dotro was jailed at the Middlesex County adult Correction Center in North Brunswick on $5 million bail with no 10 percent option by Superior Court Judge Vincent LeBlon sitting in New Brunswick.
Judge LeBlon also ordered that, if released on bond, Mr. Dotro must surrender his firearms and passport and not to have any contact with the victims in the case, according to police.
Mr. Dotro has been suspended from his job with pay, police said.