The former superintendent for Randolph New Jersey schools faces arson charges after allegedly starting a fire at his house.

According to officials, the 55-year-old suspect intentionally set fire to his home at 380 Wyckoff Avenue in Wyckoff, NJ.

Firefighters found the suspect outside his house. The firefighters were dispatched to the scene after getting a report of a fire in a detached garage at the home.

The suspect sustained serious burn injuries and was transported to Hackensack University Medical Center. Doctors treated him at the hospital. Afterwards, the suspect remained at the medical facility for observation.

Meanwhile, law enforcement suspected that the fire might have been intentionally started, so they conducted an in-depth investigation. Among the agencies investigating the cause of the blaze were the Wyckoff Police Department and the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Arson Squad.

Investigators found evidence that the suspect used an accelerant inside of the garage to start the fire.

The suspect was subsequently charged with one count of arson. A Bergen County Superior Court judge has ordered that the suspect must surrender to police within 24 hours of his release from the hospital.

If the suspect is eventually convicted of the arson charges, he would be subject to severe penalties. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:17-1, anyone who purposely starts a fire can be charged with a third degree felony. A conviction on third degree arson charges could result in a sentence of 3-5 years in NJ State Prison.

Last month, the suspect resigned from his position as superintendent of Randolph schools. He was on a 30-day medical leave from his job when the alleged arson incident occurred. Sometime later, the Randolph Board of Education accepted the suspect’s letter of resignation.

For more information about this case, check out the DailyRecord.com article entitled “Ex-Randolph Schools Chief Charged with Arson.”