Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com:
The 80-year-old Paul C. Strusiner who authorities say started a Jan. 7 fire that damaged several units in an Arlington Heights apartment complex was charged with aggravated arson and ordered held on $75,000 bail Tuesday. Police say he is being treated at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights for medical reasons unrelated to the fire.
The fire broke out at 12:22 a.m. Friday. Police officers and firefighters arrived to find flames coming from a first-floor unit which had a car parked in front of it. Later, officers noticed the car circling the parking lot and they approached the car, which was being driven by the defendant, and noted the front seat appeared to be melted.
The defendant told authorities he started the fire by lighting a piece of paper and leaving it on a table, prosecutors said, adding that the statements he gave police amounted to nonsensical ramblings.
