Gurnee woman pleads not guilty in tow truck arson case
A Gurnee woman pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges she started a tow truck on fire.
Susan Horsting, 49, faces up to seven years in prison if convicted of arson. She would also be eligible for probation.
Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Tim Niehus said security cameras at a garage on the 700 block of Belle Plaine Avenue in the village showed someone placing a towel in the gas tank neck of the truck around 10:41 p.m. on Oct. 3.
The person started the towel on fire and left, Niehus said, but returned 80 minutes later to find the fire had not spread to the truck.
The person restarted the towel on fire and left again, Niehus said, and this time the fire spread to the truck and did about $5,000 in damage to the vehicle.
Police compared the video with a description they received of a woman acting suspiciously the next day near Spaulding School on the 2000 block of Belle Plaine Avenue, and determined Horsting was their suspect.
Police went to the motel on Grandview Avenue where Horsting was living and say she confessed to starting the truck on fire.
The garage owner told police he does not know Horsting and had no idea why she would want to damage his vehicle.
Associate Judge George Strickland scheduled a trial of the case for Jan. 3. Strickland ordered Horsting, who is held on $100,000 bond, to appear in court Dec. 6.