Suspect charged with starting Ocean County wildfire released on home detention
OCEAN COUNTY, N.J. (WPVI) -- One of the suspects charged in connection with the Ocean County wildfire last month was released on home detention.
Joseph Kling walked out of jail on Monday with his ankle monitor on after spending nearly two weeks behind bars.
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Judge Pamela Snyder ordered him to home confinement with monitoring, going against the prosecution's request to keep him in jail.
Kling is charged with aggravated arson, arson and hindering following the Jones Road Wildfire that started on April 21. Details about the prosecution's allegations came out in court.
Prosecutors say that Kling picked up 10 to 20 wooden pallets from a recycling center and drove them into the woods, and used gasoline on two pallets to start the fire, and then eventually the rest of the pallets.
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Authorities allege Kling and others left the fire at one point to find a friend who had been in a dirt bike accident, but they did not go back to the fire or notify anyone that it was still burning.
Last week, a 17-year-old was also charged in connection with the blaze.
While Kling will wait for his trial at home, the judge did order electronic monitoring, in part because of the nature of the allegations.
"It is alleged that the defendant intended to blame the fire on two fictitious persons whom the defendant described as 'Mexicans,'" Judge Pamela Snyder said in court.
Kling's next court date is set for May 19.
Officials said Monday the fire is 90% contained.
