Men Caused Fire, Partially Damaging Rutgers University Greenhouse

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — Two New Brunswick men are accused of getting into an argument with a third man, following him, assaulting him and then burning some of his belongings, which caused damage to a Rutgers University greenhouse.

This happened on the Rutgers campus at about 2:30 p.m. last Sunday, Feb. 25, near the Center for Vector Biology, at 180 Jones Avenue.

None of the men involved are affiliated with Rutgers. All three got into a verbal dispute at a local business. The two perpetrators followed the third man to 180 Jones Avenue where they struck him with a blunt object, said Rutgers police.

The victim fled the area and then observed the two perpetrators partially burn his belongings, which caused damage to a door of a Rutgers University greenhouse in that area.

Two men were arrested and charged Tuesday: Reinaldo Martinez, 46, from New Brunswick, was charged with two counts of arson and two counts of criminal mischief. Jose Orozco-Cedeno, 21, also of New Brunswick, was charged with aggravated assault, theft and weapons offenses.