A family’s Thanksgiving and residence was destroyed when an volatile member of the household decided to set a blaze over a dispute.
According to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, the turmoil began around 7:30 p.m. on Thanksgiving, when deputies were dispatched to a residence in Beach Park after receiving reports of an argument.
Those inside told responding officers that the tension stemmed from frustrations over the behavior of 21-year-old Erik J. Crump, who they said had been deliberately irritating relatives throughout the day.
Deputies noted that no crime had been committed, and after mediating the situation, they arranged for Crump to separate himself from the family for the remainder of the night.
Authorities stated that the arrangement lasted less than an hour. Shortly after leaving the home, deputies received another call regarding an active fire at the same location.
When fire crews arrived, they reportedly saw a man who matched Crump’s description standing near the roadway with a knife in his hand. Before firefighters could approach, the individual ran off.
Deputies said Crump then continued fleeing on foot. A canine tracking unit was deployed to locate him, but the trail ended abruptly on a roadway, leading officers to believe he had entered a vehicle to get away.
Investigators later found him at a storage facility, where they took him into custody without further conflict.
Detectives discovered that Crump had been informed during the earlier confrontation that he would need to find somewhere else to live.
Authorities allege that after being told to move out, he returned to the property, used an accelerant to ignite his bedroom, and then ran as the flames spread rapidly throughout the structure. The blaze caused extensive destruction.
Family members inside the house noticed smoke filling the rooms and immediately ran outside to safety.
Sheriff John D. Idleburg said the incident carried an unexpected twist given the circumstances of the holiday.
“It’s nothing short of a blessing that nobody was injured or killed in this senseless act,” Idleburg said.
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He added that “while families across Lake County were sitting down for Thanksgiving, our dispatchers were answering the call, and our deputies were out responding to them.”
Idleburg also noted that the swift actions of first responders helped contain the situation.
“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,” he said.
“I am incredibly proud of their professionalism and their commitment to keeping our community safe every hour of every day.”
Following a review of the case, the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office approved charges of aggravated arson and residential arson against Crump.
Earlier that same day in Chicago, firefighters dealt with a dangerous confrontation of their own.
According to ABC7, members of the fire department were held at gunpoint around 7:30 a.m. when three individuals allegedly attempted to steal a firefighter’s personal vehicle parked at a station.
After spotting the attempted theft through a window, three firefighters ran outside in an attempt to intervene, only to be met with firearms pointed in their direction. The suspects then fled in an unidentified vehicle.
A spokesperson for the Second Battalion CFD later said on social media, “I always felt safe at the firehouse even in questionable neighborhoods.”
No injuries were reported, and investigators have not yet made any arrests.
In a separate Thanksgiving incident, authorities in Wisconsin say a 67-year-old man is accused of setting his neighbor’s mobile home on fire during the afternoon.
The Vernon County Sheriff’s Office reported that Ora Wallace was taken into custody on suspicion of arson after a blaze broke out around 3:30 p.m. in Liberty.
Deputies, the Viroqua Police Department, and multiple fire and rescue crews arrived to find the residence engulfed. Officials said the residents were not home because they were in the process of moving.
Firefighters extinguished the fire, but the structure was declared a total loss. Photographs taken afterward revealed collapsed walls and severely charred support beams.
Investigators determined early in their review that the fire had been intentionally started.
Wallace, who lives across the road from the damaged property, was identified as the suspect. He was booked into the county jail and is scheduled to appear in Vernon County Circuit Court on Monday.
Sheriff Roy Torgerson said, “I am extremely grateful that no one was hurt.” He also thanked the numerous emergency crews who fought the blaze on a national holiday.
“Although this should never have happened, I would like to thank everyone who responded,” he noted.
“I appreciate our Sheriff’s Office team and all emergency services, many of which are staffed entirely by volunteers.”
Torgerson acknowledged the holiday sacrifice made by first responders. “When you should have been enjoying Thanksgiving Day with your families, you answered the call to serve our community without any reservation,” he added.
