Trenton Woman Set Buckley Fires Because of ‘Break Up’ Rage

The woman accused of setting a Bristol residence on fire two times over a four-day period  did so because she was “angered” about the “break up of a relationship,” authorities said in court Wednesday.

Arielle Gooden, 21, of Trenton, sat quietly in the front of the courtroom with her attorney Wednesday as Judge Frank W. Perenteau Sr. waived all charges for the accused arsonist.

Gooden is suspected of setting fire to the two-floor dwelling on the 200 block of Buckley Street on September 9 and 13 of last year.

One of the five victims living in the residence testified both fires were set while she and several other family members slept during the wee hours of the morning. They said the the fires were set in the back of the residence.

The victim said for the first fire she woke up because of the fire alarm going off on the first floor.

“I jumped up,” the victim said. She added she ran down stairs and saw the “backdoor was on fire. I opened it,” she testified, and started to pour water on it from a bucket near the sink, to douse the flames.

According to the witness, when first responders arrived on scene the fire was smoldering but she noticed the odor of gas coming from the area where the flames were.

First responders were called to the scene to assist with putting out the first fire.

The day prior to the second fire being set, Gooden was seen driving past the residence by the victim, who was sitting on her front porch outside,

The witness described their eyes meeting as Gooden  drove by the residence on September 12 around 6 p.m.

Only hours later the following morning, the Witness woke up and saw a glow coming from the laundry room, she woke up 4 other family members in the home, called 911, and police arrived on scene.

Witnesses at the scene of the fire told LevittownNow.com Officer William Davis put the out the fire. He said during his testimony the flames were  “door knob high” on the back door of the Buckley Street home.

Davis  located a gas can on the porch still smoldering and pouring out the odor of gas, he said while testifying.

According to authorities, the home suffered about $5,000 worth of damage because of both fires.

According to the probable cause affidavit Gooden was in a “relationship” that was terminated by one of the victims living in the home in August  because of the defendant’s “controlling behavior.” After the breakup, Gooden made a habit out of driving by the victim’s home in her gray Pontiac, bearing a white paper New Jersey registration on it, according to court documents.

According to court documents and testimony given Wednesday, authorities  went to Gordon’s place of employment to interview her on October 17. She reportedly told authorities she was out of the area on September 9  and was home the entire day and night of September 13. Those are the two nights police allege she started the fires at the Buckley Street residence, according to court records. She provided police with her cell phone number and told them she is its sole owner.

Gooden after police interviewed her left her job without informing her supervisor or clocking out, police confirmed with store management later on.

Bristol Borough authorities, meet with the victims  the day after the second fire, set their sights on acquiring video images from the surveillance cameras on the corner of Buckley and Race streets, court records say. Authorities were able to identify a the suspect’s grey Pontiac prior to both fires traveling down Buckley Street minutes after each fire was ignited.

Gooden is charged with two counts of arson, two counts of criminal mischief and a slew of related offenses.  She is scheduled for arraignment in Doylestown on April 11.

Gooden is currently out on 10 percent of $50,000 bail.