Woman Charged in Arsons Reaches Deal with DA

The woman who set fire to a home in Bristol Borough twice  in four days has reached a deal with prosecutors.

Arielle Gooden, 21, of Trenton, pleaded nolo contendere to a slew of charges, which included arson, criminal mischief and reckless endangerment late last month, according to court documents.

Prior to the plea, Gooden’s bail was revoked on July 3 for breaking  a no contact restriction with the victim(s) that was put in place as part of her original bail agreement when she was released from Bucks County prison in November.

Gooden’s bail was set at 10 percent of $250,000 on July 3 by County Judge Wallace Bateman. She was again released with a contact restriction put in place.

On July 29, Gooden entered her nolo contendere plea.

Gooden’s sentence has been deferred until she completes a  full  mental health evaluation, which is a stipulation of  her no fault plea.

Gooden was accused of setting a  Bristol residence on fire because she was “angered” about the break up of a relationship, authorities said in court paperwork.

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 alleged controlling behavior. After the breakup, Gooden made a habit out of driving by the victims’ home in her gray Pontiac, bearing a white paper New Jersey registration on it, police said.

Bristol authorities, set their sights on acquiring video images from the surveillance cameras on the corner of Buckley and Race streets days after the second fire, court records state.

Authorities were able to identify the suspect’s grey Pontiac traveling down Buckley Street around the time of the fires.

Witnesses at the scene of the second fire told LevittownNow.com that Patrolman William Davis put out the  second fire with a garden hose. They called the officer a “hero.”

Davis testified at a March  preliminary hearing in Bristol Borough District Court  said 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 with the  odor of gas, he said during testimony.

Sentencing for Gooden is expected in the coming weeks.