Bond has been set at $25,000 for an 18-year-old homeless Wamac man who broke into his father’s home and when confronted by police began setting insulation and paper on fire and dropping it through a hole in the attic floor into the living area of the home.
John Evilsizer was charged in Clinton County Court with residential burglary and residential arson.
Wamac Police Chief Steve Prather says Evilsizer’s father saw that his son, who was not allowed in the home, was inside the residence on Monday through a security video system. When Prather and Centralia Police Chief Greg Dodson entered the home, Evilsizer allegedly ran to the attic and created a hole in the floor when stepping through a ceiling tile.
Prather said he was putting out the fires from the items being tossed down from the attic with a pitcher of water. It never spread. Prather estimated damage from the mess left behind at under $1,000.
Prather said they eventually got Evilsizer to come down after spraying Mace through the hole in the ceiling. While Evilsizer had made threats he had a gun if someone attempted to come upstairs after him, none was ever found.
The Centralia Fire Protection District had been notified of the situation but were never brought to the scene due to questions if Evilsizer was armed and the fire never spreading.
During his first court appearance in Clinton County, Judge Ericka Sanders found enough evidence to hold him on the charges. The public defender was appointed to represent him. A preliminary hearing is set for January 19th.
