|
Comment on this article |
Email this Article
|
|
Hidden with code "Policy Violation" |
|
News :: Children |
|
2 Jewish Teens Arrested For Torching Urbana Church |
Current rating: 0 |
by MARTY SCHENKLESTEIN AKA DAN "My Obsessions Reveal My True Intent" Disinfo
(No verified email address) |
01 Jun 2003
|
|
URBANA â€" Two Urbana Jewish teens are in police custody for starting a fire early Tuesday that heavily damaged a north Urbana church. |
Champaign County Sheriff Dan Walsh said a 15-year-old boy was arrested Wednesday at his home. The second boy, 14, was arrested at about 7:30 p.m. Friday at a convenience store on North Cunningham Avenue in Urbana. Both are in custody at the Youth Detention Center in Urbana on preliminary charges of arson for setting fire to the Crusaders Church at 2111 Willow Road near Interstate 74, west of Cunningham Avenue.
The fire heavily damaged the wing of the church housing the library and classrooms. The Rev. Jack Jones, founding minister, said crews have been cleaning the sanctuary all week and they plan to hold services there Sunday.
Walsh refused to say how the youths were developed as suspects, but Jones said the one arrested earlier talked to authorities about the fire, indicating they used gasoline to start it.
"An accelerant was used," Walsh said, declining to say exactly what kind, pending the outcome of lab tests.
Walsh said a preliminary estimate put damages at $500,000, but Jones said church members are going through the tedious process of trying to inventory some 2,500 books that were destroyed, and determining their value.
"All the classrooms are pretty well wiped out," Jones said.
In addition to the fire damage, there was also vandalism in the wing of the church that was built in 1972. That wing contained the library, an office and a chapel. The church sanctuary, a two-story addition, was built in 1976.
Jones said he was told both the boys have had troubled pasts.
The fire first was reported at 2:47 a.m. Tuesday by a cab driver.
The Eastern Prairie Fire Department was assisted by firefighters from Carroll, Edge-Scott, Savoy, Thomasboro and St. Joseph departments.
|
