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Illinois Man Arrested After Allegedly Setting Family Home Ablaze on Thanksgiving

Erik J. Crump, 21, was arrested and charged with aggravated and residential arson after authorities say he set his family’s Beach Park home on fire on Thanksgiving. Deputies were first called for a domestic dispute at about 7:30 p.m.; roughly an hour later firefighters responded to a blaze and saw a man matching Crump’s description. A sheriff’s K-9 tracked the scent to a dead end, and Crump was later located at a nearby storage facility and taken into custody. The family evacuated safely and no injuries were reported.

05:27 PM, 11/29/2025Security

A 21-year-old man was arrested after authorities say he intentionally set his family’s Beach Park home on fire following a heated Thanksgiving argument.

Police identified the suspect as Erik J. Crump. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office says deputies were first called to a residence in the 40100 block of North Lone Oak Road at about 7:30 p.m. for a domestic dispute. Deputies de-escalated the situation and Crump agreed to separate from the family for the rest of the evening.

About an hour later, deputies returned after reports of a blaze. Firefighters arriving at the scene reported seeing a man matching Crump’s description standing near the roadway armed with a knife before he fled. Deputies established a perimeter and a sheriff’s K-9 tracked a scent to a dead end, suggesting the person may have left by vehicle.

Crump was later located at a storage facility in the 39400 block of North Lewis Avenue and taken into custody without incident. Investigators say detectives determined he had been told after the earlier argument that he would be kicked out of the home. They allege he returned, used an accelerant to ignite his bedroom and fled as the fire spread, causing major damage.

The family evacuated after noticing smoke; there were no reported injuries.

“It’s nothing short of a blessing that nobody was injured or killed in this senseless act,” Sheriff John D. Idleburg said. “Our team, along with our fire service partners, responded within minutes, secured the area, helped ensure the fire was extinguished, and took this individual into custody before anyone else was put at risk.”

After reviewing the case, the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office approved charges of aggravated arson and residential arson against Crump. The investigation remains active as authorities continue to gather evidence.

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