UNION BEACH - Police have arrested a 35-year-old Florida man they believe set fire to an unoccupied Dock Street home before getting into a hit-and-run crash in his own car, stealing another, ignoring a traffic stop and finally fleeing on foot.

Police and other emergency workers first went to 126 Dock St. around 3:15 p.m. Friday after the fire started, police said in a statement posted to their Facebook page. Meanwhile, dispatchers took a report about a hit-and-run crash a block away.

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Police officers who went to the scene of the crash found "a running, unoccupied vehicle with significant damage," according to the statement. The car belonged to Billie Garcia of Florida who had been living in Union Beach. He had already left the scene police, said.

"Garcia then stole a vehicle from a residence located on Front Street in Union Beach," according to the department's statement.

Police spotted Garcia nearby and officers Matthew Gajewski and Ryan Fogarty tried to pull him over, "however he refused to stop," police said.

Garcia eventually bailed out of the car and fled on foot into a marshy area but police caught up to him and arrested him, police said.

Borough detectives and investigators from the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office and the Monmouth County Fire Marshal's office "investigated the connection between the house fire and the incidents leading to the arrest of the fleeing suspect," according to the police department's statement. "It was determined that Garcia damaged and set fire to the residence before attempting to flee the scene."

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Garcia is facing charges of arson, criminal mischief, auto theft, theft of movable property, resisting by flight, driving while intoxicated, two counts of driving on a license suspended for a previous DWI and several other moving violations, police said. He was sent to the Monmouth County Correctional Institution in Freehold to await a court hearing.

Firefighters from Hazlet, Keyport, Matawan and Union Beach, borough medics and workers from Jersey Central Power & Light and New Jersey Natural Gas also responded, police said.

It was unclear if another vehicle or anything else was damaged when Garcia allegedly crashed his car.

Alex N. Gecan has covered crime in New Jersey since 2016. His work as a reporter and editor has earned him professional awards in Connecticut, Louisiana and New Jersey for public service, business reporting and features. Contact him at agecan@gannettnj.com or 732-643-4043 or follow him on Twitter @GeeksterTweets.