By: Najla Alexander
Image by: Jerseyshoreonline
Authorities in Ocean County announced that on January 28, Juliette Tournier, 30, of Horsham, Pennsylvania, 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.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer stated that on February 19, 2025, at approximately 8:40 p.m., the Surf City Police and Fire Departments were dispatched for a report of a structure fire on North Central Avenue.
During fire suppression efforts, a firefighter sustained injuries; the firefighter was transported to Southern Ocean Medical Center in Stafford Township, where he was treated for his injuries and subsequently released, OCPO officials say.
A thorough and extensive investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Ocean County Sheriff's Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, Surf City Police Department, and Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office revealed that there were two separate locations of origin for the fire - one upstairs and one downstairs, OCPO officials said.
Ocean County officials stated that detectives further determined that, in both cases, the cause of the fire was incendiary, caused by an unknown person using an open flame to ignite the ignitable liquids.
While investigating the fire, Ocean County authorities say detectives discovered that on February 19, 2025, at approximately 8:20 p.m., officers from the Ship Bottom Police Department attempted to effectuate a motor vehicle stop of a Honda HRV traveling westbound on Route 72.
The driver of the vehicle initially pulled over at a location that was unsafe for a motor vehicle stop, according to Ocean County officials. 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. For safety reasons, the Officer terminated the pursuit, Ocean County officials say. 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.
OCPO officials said that detectives identified Tournier as the individual who stole the license plate. On February 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. As such, Tournier was charged with Aggravated Arson on February 25, 2025. On February 26, 2025, Tournier surrendered herself to the Surf City Police Department, OCPO authorities said. 
According to Ocean County officials, she was taken into custody and transported to the Ocean County Jail and subsequently released as a consequence of New Jersey Bail Reform.