What to Know
- A man allegedly set fire to his ex-girlfriend's home while eight people slept inside and then texted a photo of the burning home to a friend
- Somerset County prosecutors say 34-year-old Patrick Hammond, of Somerville, is charged with arson and attempted murder
- The residents, who range in age from 4 to 64 years old, were able to safely escape. But the fire severely damaged the home
A New Jersey man allegedly set fire to his ex-girlfriend's home while eight people slept inside and then texted a photo of the burning home to a friend.
Somerset County prosecutors say 34-year-old Patrick Hammond, of Somerville, is charged with arson and attempted murder. It's not known if he's retained an attorney.
Hammond allegedly set fire to the Hillsborough home around 12:40 a.m. Sunday.
The residents, who range in age from 4 to 64 years old, were able to safely escape. But the fire severely damaged the home.
Prosecutors say Hammond ran off but was less than a mile away from the home when officers found him about an hour later.
He eventually was taken to a hospital for an evaluation because he was acting erratically at police headquarters.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
