A 51-year-old homeless woman who, according to Aurora officials, set fire to her former husband’s house has been charged with aggravated arson.
Laurine Ross, 51, was arrested over the weekend on the Class X felony charge and one of residential arson, a Class 1 felony, according to Kane County court records.
Ross is accused of deliberately setting fire to a one-story, single-family house in the 400 block of Elmwood Drive, Aurora police spokesman Dan Ferrelli said Monday. The house belongs to her ex-husband, police investigator Dave Brian said.
The fire was discovered at about 5:15 a.m. Feb. 28 by a resident of the home, who called the Aurora Fire Department, a news release said. Crews were able to quickly extinguish fire found in several places around the house’s exterior, the release said.
The fire caused an estimated $2,000 in damage, according to the fire department. No one was injured.
Ross was apprehended at the scene in possession of a gas can and a lighter, Brian said.
She is being held in the Kane County jail in lieu of $250,000 bail. Her next court appearance is March 16.
A public defender assigned to represent Ross did not respond to a request for comment.
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