Off-Duty Cop Arrested For Attacking 2 People In Violent Home Break-In

An off-duty police officer in New Jersey was arrested after she allegedly broke into a house, attacked two individuals and threatened that she'd set the house on fire, The New York Post reported.

Just before 11:30 pm on Friday, Rebecca A. Sayegh, a Toms River Police Officer, allegedly used her baton to smash the front door of her ex-boyfriend's Berkeley home on Friday, confronting him and a woman who was present at the time.

Court documents said she began to argue with her ex-boyfriend and the woman. Ms Sayegh reportedly started pushing and hitting the two when the verbal altercation turned into physical violence.

Ms Sayegh "broke free" and destroyed items and pictures on the wall when the two victims attempted to control her in the living room, according to the authorities.

She also allegedly damaged the hood of one of the victims' vehicles parked in the driveway of the Evernham Avenue residence before the alleged home invasion, the prosecutor said.

She allegedly threatened to set the house on fire when she was strolling down the driveway, according to court documents cited by multiple publications.

Initially, it was unclear whether or how Ms Sayegh knew the other people. But Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer claimed that police had been called to a "domestic disturbance."

The off-duty cop was charged with two counts of assault, terroristic threats, two counts of criminal mischief, assault, burglary, and resisting arrest.

Ms Sayegh, who sued her department six months ago for alleged sexual harassment, was suspended without pay, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office told NJ.com.

In an emailed statement, her lawyer, Terrance Turnbach, said that Officer Sayegh was aware of the seriousness of the accusations against her.

Ms Sayegh has "proudly served her community for nearly nine years" as a member of the Toms River Police Department, Mr Turnbach said.

"She will cooperate during the ongoing legal proceedings and is taking all the necessary actions to resolve the issue at hand appropriately," he added.

According to online court documents, she continues to be held at the Ocean County jail before her first appearance on Friday, May 2, morning.