CINCINNATI — Exactly five months after a fire severely damaged the Ohio side approach to the Daniel Carter Beard, or Big Mac, Bridge, the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office is keeping the details of its case close to the vest.
“We are so far before the trial,” said Prosecutor Connie Pillich, who took over the office in January.
Watch our interview with Pillich here:
Who’s charged?
In December, Zachary Stumpf and Terry Stiles were each indicted by a grand jury on three counts of aggravated arson and one count of arson.
The aggravated arson charges are because they allegedly "knowingly created a substantial risk of serious physical harm" to three different people, the indictment document says. The arson charge is tied to the damage caused to property owned by another — in this case, the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge, owned by ODOT.
Kaitlen Hall and James Hamilton were each indicted on two counts of obstruction of justice — one more charge each than they had faced previously. The indictment document says Hall lied to Cincinnati fire officials, while it says Hamilton lied to the Cincinnati Police Department.
What’s the evidence?
Court documents reveal a portion of the evidence the state has in its case against the defendants.
It includes video surveillance footage captured from various locations throughout downtown Cincinnati, including the Sawyer Point pickleball courts, Adams Place condominiums, Government Square, the casino and the art museum.
Among the tangible objects in the state’s evidence are a metal can, rubber flooring and composite board from the playground.
The state also references a “map-route of travel,” recorded phone calls, license plate readers and cell phone downloads.
There are also five full pages of a redacted evidence list, under the headers “Tests and Examinations” and a redacted header.
“That's really up to the discretion of the fire department and the trial prosecutor, who are deciding what sort of information is too sensitive to be released to the public at this time,” Pillich said.
The prosecutor said she was not able to discuss evidence, redacted or not, as it was sensitive to the case.
“There is ample evidence that persuaded a grand jury to indict these four individuals,” Pillich said.
What caused the fire?
It is unclear what caused the fire or whether the investigation has concluded.
At a press conference on Dec. 11, a reporter asked Cincinnati Fire Chief Frank C. McKinley whether they knew the cause of the fire and were not sharing it publicly or whether they did not know the cause.
“Right now, we don’t know,” McKinley responded at the time.
WCPO asked the fire department the same question last week, and a spokesperson referred all information to the prosecutor.
Pillich said she could not answer the question due to the sensitivity of the case.
“It's likely that the cause of the fire will come up during the trial and that we will have testimony from the fire investigators,” she said.
On the high interest in the cause of the fire, Pillich said: “I'm doing the best I can while preserving the integrity of the trial process.”
“Things are not going to be top secret in the courtroom, but right now, because we're so early in the process, we're not allowed to comment on it,” Pillich said.
What are the penalties if convicted?
If convicted on all charges, Stumpf and Stiles each face a maximum sentence of 38 and a half years; Hall and Hamilton could face a maximum sentence of up to six years.
The ramifications of the fire have been considerable. Approximately 50,000 daily drivers faced significant inconveniences, and businesses in Northern Kentucky saw considerable drops in foot traffic.
Taxpayers will foot the bill for an estimated $10 million in repairs, according to ODOT. (A spokesperson said a final amount is still being calculated.)
The prosecutor said while she had not reviewed their personal finances, she noted three of the four defendants have not been able to post bond and assumed they’re uncollectible.
New judge takes over case
Judge Virginia Tallent has taken over the case against the four suspects.
Each individual had court dates scheduled for this month. A clerk told WCPO they had been canceled and are pending a new date.
In February, both Stumpf and Stiles were deemed competent to stand trial.
However, Stiles’ attorney also filed a not-guilty plea by reason of insanity. The court has not made a ruling on this additional plea.
The prosecutor said she believed the cases were moving at “the right speed,” highlighting that arson is a difficult and complex crime to prove.
“While it may seem like it's a long, long time to many people, this is called due process,” Pillich said. “We can only achieve justice with integrity if we follow due process.”
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