Jeremy Doyle Bean, 42, of De Soto has been accused of causing fires at two occupied homes in Festus. Four people in one home and two people in the other home were able to escape the blazes, according to court documents.
Bean on Wednesday, June 24, was charged with two felony counts of first-degree arson and two felony counts of armed criminal action. As of today, June 25, he was being held without bond at the Jefferson County Jail in Hillsboro, court and jail records said.
According to a probable-cause statement filed by Festus Police, Doyle threw an incendiary device at about 10:10 p.m. Monday, June 22, at the front of a home in the 500 block of Cromwell Road. There were four people in the home at the time.
The home was significantly damaged, and the estimated cost to repair the house was $10,000, the report said.
About 20 minutes later, Bean allegedly threw another incendiary device at the back of a home in the 500 block of Roy Street. There were two people inside that home at the time of the fire, according to the probable-cause statement.
Festus Police reported the second home was significantly damaged, but the report did not provide an estimated repair cost.
Festus Police Chief Doug Wendel said there were no reports of anyone being injured due to either fire.
According to court documents, Bean has been in a relationship with someone who was in the first home, and it was not known why he allegedly started the fire at the second home.
A witness told police that Bean was intoxicated that evening, court records said.