Chicago-area man charged with setting home on fire after Thanksgiving argument

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Erik Crump | Lake County Sheriff's Office

BEACH PARK, Ill. - A Beach Park man was arrested after police say he intentionally set his family's home on fire after a Thanksgiving argument.

What we know:

Lake County sheriff's deputies first responded around 7:30 p.m. to an argument at a residence in the 40100 block of North Lone Oak Road where they de-escalated tensions between family members and 21-year-old Erik J. Crump. Crump agreed to stay away from others in the home.

Roughly an hour later, deputies were called back to find the house on fire. 

Firefighters reported seeing a man matching Crump's description holding a knife near the scene before he fled, according to the sheriff's office. A perimeter was set and deputies later found Crump at a storage facility on North Lewis Avenue where he was taken into custody without incident.

Detectives determined Crump returned to the house after being told he would be kicked out and used an accelerant to ignite a fire in his bedroom, which spread and caused major damage, authorities said. No injuries were reported.

The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office approved charges of aggravated arson and residential arson. Crump is scheduled to appear in court Friday.

What they're saying:

"It’s nothing short of a blessing that nobody was injured or killed in this senseless act," Lake County Sheriff John D. Idleburg said in a statement. "While families across Lake County were sitting down for Thanksgiving, our dispatchers were answering the call, and our deputies were out responding to them."