By: Najla Alexander
Authorities in Bergen County announced the arrest of 25-year-old Allison G. Gutierrez-Tuesta of Passaic on charges of aggravated arson, arson, and failure to report a fire.
Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said the arrest was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck and the Garfield Police Department under the direction of Chief Richard M. Uram.
Officials stated that on Sunday, April 28, at approximately 10:35 a.m., the Garfield Police Department and Fire Department responded to a fire at 89 Passaic Street, Apartment 2, in Garfield.
Following their initial response and fire suppression efforts, the Garfield Police Department and Fire Department notified the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Arson Squad that the fire appeared suspicious in nature, officials said.
According to officials, detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Arson Squad and Garfield Police Department initiated a joint investigation that revealed Allison G. Gutierrez-Tuesta intentionally set fire to the apartment in two separate locations and then fled the area without notifying the authorities of the fire.
As a result of the investigation, on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Allison G. Gutierrez-Tuesta was arrested in Garfield and charged with second-degree aggravated arson, third-degree arson, and fourth-degree endangering the life of another, and failure to take responsible measures to put out or control a fire, authorities say.
Officials say Gutierrez-Tuesta was remanded to Bergen County Jail pending her first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack.