Three juveniles and one adult from Galesburg were arrested in Mercer County Tuesday related to an arson fire.
According to Warren County Sheriff Martin Edwards, the four were arrested by deputies from Mercer County at the scene of a suspicious house fire one mile east of Alexis.
The Alexis Fire Department was called out to the fire at around 3:45 am when a vehicle entered the fire staging area and was stopped by firefighters, who stood by with the vehicle until the arrival of law enforcement.
On scene investigators resulted in the arrest of the vehicle occupants for charges ranging from illegal consumption of alcohol, illegal possession of alcohol, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia.
Further investigation led to two of the juveniles being charged with arson. The other was charged with criminal trespass to property. The sole adult, 18-year-old Emily Surber, was charged with criminal trespass to property.
All vehicle occupants were taken to the Mercer County Jail for booking and processing.
In the release, Edwards notes that the sheriff’s office and Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office responded to the scene to assist in the investigation, as it is believed that the fire was related to two first that took place near Alexis on the Warren County side in the early morning hours of Monday, April 19.
The investigation into the matter continues.
