Woman Tried to Light Somerville Resident on Fire, Prosecutor Says

A New Brunswick woman has been charged with the aggravated assault of a Somerville woman by attempting to set her on fire at her home on Tuesday night, Somerset County Prosecutor Geoffrey D. Soriano announced Thursday.

Jolean Badger, 33, was charged with second-degree aggravated arson, second-degree aggravated assault and two counts of third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose after attacking a Somerville woman and her male friend at the woman's Second Street home, Soriano said.

Somerville police responded to the scene on Tuesday night at 9:55 p.m. and learned that Badger arrived at the house with an aluminum baseball bat, a knife, lighter fluid and wooden matches, Soriano said.

When the female resident of the home answered the door, Badger squirted lighter fluid in her face and on the floor around her, Soriano said. The victim retreated into the house, and her male friend then prevented Badger from entering the house, Soriano said.

Badger hit the man with the bat in the head and body, the prosecutor said. The man suffered cuts while attempting to take the knife from Badger, Soriano said.

According to court documents obtained by nj.com, Badger and the man used to date.

He was eventually able to wrest both the knife and the bat from Badger, but Badger then took out a box of long, wooden matches and attempted to ignite the lighter fluid, Soriano said.

Badger was lodged in Somerset County Jail.

Anyone with information concerning this incident is asked to contact the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Squad at (908) 231-7100 or the Somerville Police Department at (908) 725-0331.

The Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line can also be contacted at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477) or online at www.888577tips.org or www.scpo.net and click on either “Crime Stoppers” or “TIPS HOTLINE”. All calls are confidential.