8 Years For N.J. Woman Convicted Of Setting Ex-Girlfriend's House On Fire
NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A woman was sentenced to eight years in prison Friday after being convicted of setting her girlfriend's West Orange, N.J. home on fire in 2011.
New Jersey Superior Court Judge Sherry Hutchins-Henderson sentenced Kelly Fowler, 45, in the Oct. 9, 2011 incident. Fowler was convicted by a jury of aggravated arson, burglary, and criminal mischief after a nine-day trial. She was acquitted of the most serious charge of attempted murder, according to the Essex County Prosecutor's office.
Prosecutors said around 4:30 a.m. on Oct. 9, 2011, Fowler went to the Maple Avenue home of her ex-girlfriend, lit a basket of socks on fire, and left.
Fowler, of Irvington, was pulled over by a West Orange police officer for making an illegal turn, but the officer let her go because a call came over his radio about the fire, prosecutors said.
The officer did not know Fowler had anything to do with the fire, and "told her it was her lucky day and let her go," prosecutors said.
But during the arson investigation, the officer realized the name of the woman he pulled over matched that of the suspect, and Fowler was later arrested, prosecutors said.
Fowler and the victim had had an on-again, off-again relationship, and prosecutors said Fowler had learned the victim was dating someone else at the time she committed the crime.
Fowler must serve 85 percent of her sentence before she is eligible for parole, prosecutors said.
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