An Illinois resident, 21‑year‑old Erik J. Crump, was taken into custody after police allege he deliberately set his family’s house ablaze during a heated Thanksgiving argument. Crump has been charged with aggravated arson and residential arson.
Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched at about 7:30 p.m. on Thursday to a home on North Lone Oak Road in Beach Park, where a family‑member‑reported dispute had erupted. Though the residents said Crump was being hostile, officers found no crime had yet occurred. They helped deescalate the situation, and Crump agreed to stay away from the house for the rest of the evening.
An hour later, deputies received a new call that the property was on fire. Firefighters arriving on the scene encountered a man matching Crump’s description near the road, armed with a knife, before he fled. Law enforcement established a perimeter; a sheriff’s K‑9 squad traced his scent to a dead‑end, suggesting he may have taken off in a vehicle.
Crump was later located in a storage facility on North Lewis Avenue and was brought into custody without incident. Investigators say that after the earlier argument, he was told he would be kicked out of the house. He allegedly returned, used an accelerant to spark his bedroom, and fled as the blaze spread, inflicting extensive damage. The family discovered the smoke and evacuated immediately.
“It’s nothing short of a blessing that nobody was injured or killed in this senseless act,” Sheriff John D. Idleburg said in a statement. “While families across Lake County were sitting down for Thanksgiving, our dispatchers were answering the call, and our deputies were out responding to them.” Sheriff Idleburg added, “Our team, along with our fire service partners, responded within minutes, secured the area, helped ensure the fire was extinguished, and took this individual into custody before anyone else was put at risk. I am incredibly proud of their professionalism and their commitment to keeping our community safe every hour of every day.” The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office, after reviewing the circumstances of the incident, approved the aggravated arson and residential arson charges.
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
