NY Man Arrested in Connection with Mahwah House Fire

A New York man was arrested in connection with a house fire in Mahwah.

Antonio Almodovar, 19, of Pomona, NY, was arrested early Wednesday in connection with the Nov. 19 arson of a house on Lakeview Drive, Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli said.

Authorities found the house fire suspicious for multiple reasons, including that the house was under construction and was not connected to gas or electric lines. A joint investigation from the Mahwah Police Department and the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit Arson Squad deemed that the fire was in fact arson.

As a result of the continued investigation and interviews, Amodovar was arrested and charged with one count each of aggravated arson, a second degree crime, burglary, a third degree crime and failure to report and control a fire, a fourth degree crime.

Bail was set by the Bergen County Superior Court at $100,000 with no ten percent option. Almodovar was remanded to the Bergen County Jail in lieu of bail.