70-year-old Man Admits Setting Fire to Historic House

A 70-year-old Hillsborough man pleaded guilty Tuesday morning to starting a fire that destroyed an unoccupied historic house on Amwell Road last year.

In a brief appearance before Superior Court Judge Julie Marino, Curtis Westover, of Zion Road, pleaded guilty to downgraded charges of arson and burglary in exchange for a sentence of non-custodial probation. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 2.

Westover pleaded guilty to charges of third-degree arson and third-degree burglary in connection with the March 18, 2012, fire that destroyed the structure, dating to the 19th century, owned by John Lazorchak, owner of the neighboring JML Landscaping and chief of the Neshanic Fire Co.

Westover, who had been free on $50,000 bail, gave no reason why he set the fire with a match. He told the judge that he entered the vacant house with the intention of starting a fire.

Lazorchak, who had been trying to demolish the structure and build a 6,700-square-foot office building but was involved in a legal fight with the zoning board of adjustment over the plan, is not seeking restitution from Westover, Somerset County Assistant Prosecutor Frank Kolozieski said. The structure was demolished shortly after the fire.

Kolozieski also said that Lazorchak accepts the terms of the plea agreement.

Westover had originally been charged with second degree aggravated arson.

His application for entry into the pre-trial intervention program was denied in August 2012 because of the nature of the charge.

In a probable cause affidavit, Detective Jeffrey VanderGoot of the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office said that the fire was reported by a witness who reported seeing a silver-colored car fleeing the scene at a high rate of speed.

On March 24, 2012,  the affidavit states, Westover came to township police headquarters to speak to detectives about the fire. After being given his Miranda warnings  against self-incrimination, Westover admitted he had set the fire with matches by lighting grass and brush at the rear of the house, the affidavit said.

He also told authorities that he then left the scene in a silver Mercedes, which matched the witness’s description, the affidavit said.

Westover also told police that he intended to destroy the barn, the affidavit said.

Westover, who runs a nursery business on Zion Road, had also been involved in legal fights with the township over the zoning of his property. He came to the Township Committee days after being released on bail to complain about the zoning.