POLICE have charged a man with murder after a woman’s body was found following a house fire at Raymond Terrace.

Emergency services were called to the home on Rosemount Drive on Saturday 7 July (12:30am), after reports of an explosion and a fire.

Once firefighters extinguished the blaze, they located the body of 76-year-old Raymond Terrace woman, Janice ‘Jan’ Garrett inside the home.

It was treated as suspicious.

Police linked the alleged crime with a car collision, some 50klm away, that occurred within an hour of the blaze.
At about 1.20am, in the early hours of the morning, police responded to reports a Nissan X-Trail collided with a truck on the Pacific Highway, about 5km north of Bulahdelah.

The driver of the Nissan was taken to John Hunter Hospital under police guard suffering serious injuries.

On Monday 9 July, Police charged the 69-year-old with murder (DV), and destroying property with intent to endanger life.
He was refused bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court on Thursday 6 September.

 

 

EARLIER report:….

 

Police are investigating after a body was found following a house fire at Raymond Terrace, Port Stephens.

Emergency services were called to a home on Rosemount Drive at Raymond Terrace about 12.30am (Saturday 7 July 2018), after reports of an explosion and a fire.

Once firefighters extinguished the blaze, they located a body inside the home. The body is yet to be formally identified.

A crime scene is being maintained and will be forensically examined.

About 1.20am (Saturday 7 July 2018), police responded to reports a Nissan X-Trail collided with a truck on the Pacific Highway, about 5km north of Bulahdelah.

The driver of the Nissan, a man aged in his 60s, was taken to John Hunter Hospital under police guard suffering serious injuries.

The driver of the truck was not injured.

Officers from Port Stephens-Hunter and Manning-Great Lakes Police District are investigating whether the incidents are linked.

The cause of the fire is yet to be determined; however, it is being treated as suspicious.

Detectives are seeking anyone with information that may assist to come forward.

Police are urging anyone with information in relation to this incident to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000