Kane Co. judge raises bond for suspected arsonist

A request for lower bond backfired Wednesday on an Elgin man accused of torching his parents' house while his 2-year-old son was strapped to a highchair inside.

Kane County Judge Timothy Q. Sheldon instead raised the amount James R. Beavers, 31, must post to get out of jail - from $5,000 to $7,500 - after Beavers argued the previous bond was too high, according to the state's attorney's office. It was the second time Beavers had asked Sheldon for a reduction, court records show.

Beavers, of the 500 block of Cumberland Circle, has been in the county jail since November, when he was arrested on charges he set fire to a first-floor bedroom at his parents' house on Elgin's west side.

Firefighters rescued his 2-year-old son, still strapped into his highchair, as the blaze tore through the home, leaving it uninhabitable.

Beavers, indicted earlier this month on charges including aggravated arson and resisting arrest, pleaded not guilty Wednesday.

According to court records, Sheldon agreed to cut his bond in half, from $100,000 to $50,000, on Dec. 28, meaning Beavers would have had to post $5,000 to go free until trial. The judge could not be reached for comment on Wednesday's decision.

Beavers' next court date is April 16, with a tentative trial scheduled for April 26.