Ex-Firefighter Accused of Arson Charged With Neglect

A former township firefighter—accused of arson and indicted earlier this year on official misconduct and drug offenses—and his wife were charged with child neglect Wednesday after allegedly being drunk and arguing with their infant inside a car in a Route 46 supermarket parking lot, Parsippany Police said.

Jason Campbell, 34, and Jennifer Campbell, 33, both of Parsippany, were each charged with child neglect. Jennifer Campbell was also charged with obstruction for allegedly resisting arrest and assaulting two officers while being placed under arrest, according to Officer Earl Kinsey, a spokesman for the police department.

The couple was indicted in October after being arrested in March for alleged possession of Oxycodone following a motor vehicle stop on Interstate 287 in Hanover.

According to Kinsey, a caller notified police Wednesday of two intoxicated adults with an infant inside a vehicle in the Pathmark parking lot at about 4:30 p.m.

When officers arrived, they found Jennifer Campbell yelling from outside the car, a Chevy Lumina, for Jason Campbell to open the door, Kinsey said.

Police ordered Jason Campbell to open the door after noticing the infant in a child's seat in the rear of the vehicle, Kinsey said.

Kinsey said Jason Campbell had trouble opening the door and appeared lethargic, mumbling his words.

Jason Campbell was placed under arrest, and when Jennifer Campbell was told she would also being arrested, Kinsey said she began to yell obscenities at her husband and the police officers. Kinsey said she refused to follow police commands, resisted arrest and assaulted two of the officers on the scene.

The officers were able to handcuff Jennifer Campbell and place her in the back of the police car, Kinsey said.

Both were transported to the Parsippany police station and later sent to the Morris County jail in lieu of $2,500 bail each.

The infant was unharmed and taken into the custody of a relative, Kinsey said.

Jason Campbell, a former assistant chief for Rockaway Neck Fire District 5 and ex-supervisor of a Morris County Sheriff's Office youth program, was arrested in February 2011 for allegedly setting fires in 2008 and 2010 in Parsippany while he was a member of the fire department.

Campbell was charged in February 2011 with two counts of second-degree aggravated arson, one count of third-degree burglary, four counts of second-degree official misconduct, one count of second-degree attempted aggravated arson and two counts of second-degree conspiracy to commit aggravated arson.

Campbell was accused of having one of the youth members of the Morris County Sheriff's Office Explorer Program he surpervised help ignite one of the blazes.

Campbell was indicted on these charges in July 2011, but three of the aggravated arson, burglary and official misconduct charges contained in the 10-count indictment were dismissed by a Sussex County judge this past March.

In October, Jason and Jennifer Campbell were indicted on drug charges stemming from the I-287 traffic stop.

Jason Campbell, who was suspended from the sheriff's office in February 2011, was also indicted on an official misconduct charge for allegedly falsely identifying himself to the State Trooper by showing a Morris County Sheriff's Office badge.

Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated Jason Campbell was a member of Lake Hiawatha Fire District 5.

For questions on this blotter, email ariana.cohn-sheehan@patch.com