Elgin Faces 12 Felony Arson Charges After Chicago Man Sets Downtown Trash Cans and Dumpster on Fire
David Rosales, 27, of Chicago faces 12 felony counts after allegedly setting multiple garbage cans and a dumpster on fire in downtown Elgin. A judge has ordered him held without bail.
A Chicago man is being held in Kane County Jail after prosecutors allege he went on a fire-setting spree through downtown Elgin, igniting garbage cans and a dumpster that damaged city property.
David Rosales, 27, of Chicago, was arrested by Elgin Police on June 4 and charged with 12 felony counts, according to the Kane County State's Attorney's Office. The charges include five counts of arson, six counts of criminal damage to government property, and one count of criminal damage with fire.
A string of fires across downtown Elgin
Prosecutors say Rosales used a standard lighter to set fires at multiple locations in the early morning hours of June 4. Elgin officers responded around 2:15 a.m. to reports of a dumpster fire in the 0-100 block of Douglas Avenue, according to FOX 32 Chicago.
The dumpster fire damaged an adjacent transformer, according to the Daily Herald. Investigators found additional fires at five other locations across downtown Elgin:
- Chicago Street and Riverside Drive
- Chicago Street and Grove Avenue
- Symphony Way and North Spring Street
- Spring Street and Division Street
- 100 West Chicago Street
Rosales is accused of setting fire to five metal trash cans belonging to the City of Elgin, a plastic trash can at a Pace Bus terminal, and an industrial-sized dumpster, according to State's Attorney Jamie L. Mosser.
"A Kane County judge has ordered Rosales to be held in jail pending trial after finding he poses a threat to the community," according to WSPY News.
No release pending
Rosales was taken into custody without incident, according to the Daily Herald. A Kane County judge denied pretrial release at a detention hearing, ordering him to remain in jail while his case is pending.
His next court appearance was scheduled for June 12, according to multiple outlets.
What is not yet known
It remains unclear why Rosales allegedly set the fires. Elgin police and the state's attorney's office have not released a motive.
The transformer damage from the dumpster fire has not been quantified in terms of repair costs. The City of Elgin has not issued a statement about the impact on downtown services or cleanup efforts.