HAZLET — A Union Beach man has been charged with setting fire to the Hazlet First Aid Unit 1 Building on March 16, according to the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.
Ronald Schroeder, 43, allegedly was alone inside the building, where he was a first aid squad member for a short time, at the time of the fire, said Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni in a statement.
Firefighters from the West Keansburg and North Centerville fire departments responded to a call at 5:07 p.m. Sunday evening reporting a fire at the Leocadia Court first aid building, Gramiccioni said. Firefighters ultimately extinguished the blaze with assistance from Union Beach and Matawan fire departments.
Schroeder was arrested by Hazlet police on March 17 and charged with second degree aggravated arson. He is being held in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution, Freehold Township, on $100,000 bail with no 10 percent option, Gramiccioni said.
Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Honora Kilgallen also prohibited Schroeder from returning to the building as a condition of his release, should he post bail.
The Hazlet Police Department, Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and Monmouth County Fire Marshal’s Office investigated the origin and cause of the fire, Gramiccioni said. They determined that the fire was intentionally set.
Schroeder was allegedly inside the building and intentionally set the fire in the lounge area prior to leaving, then returned while firefighters were still on scene, Gramiccioni said.
If convicted of second-degree aggravated arson, Schroeder faces a maximum custodial sentence of up to 10 years in prison, according to the prosecutor’s office.
— Keith Heumiller