CINCINNATI — Four people arrested for their involvement in the fire that destroyed the 1,000 Hands Playground and seriously damaged the Big Mac Bridge now face new charges.
Zachary Stumpf and Terry Stiles were each indicted by a grand jury on three counts of aggravated arson and one count of arson. Before the grand jury, they each faced just one count of aggravated arson apiece. 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 belonged 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'd faced previously. The indictment document says Hall lied to Cincinnati Fire officials, while it says Hamilton lied to the Cincinnati Police Department.
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.
Hall has already been released from the Hamilton County Justice Center on bond. Hamilton is being held on a $60,000 bond; Stumpf and Stiles are both being held on a $1 million bond.
Hamilton, Stiles, Stumpf and Hall were arrested December 10 in connection with the Nov. 1 fire at 1,000 Hands Playground in Sawyer Point Park.
Stumpf "intentionally set a fire on a playground located under an interstate overpass," according to court records. According to court documents, Stiles also intentionally set a fire at 801 E Pete Rose Way, "creating a substantial risk of serious physical harm to all of the motorists above," including the driver of a Freightliner flatbed tow truck.
Court records show Hall and Hamilton allegedly gave misleading information to investigators about Stiles and Stumpf during officials' arson investigation.
The Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office said Hall was there when Stumpf and Stiles allegedly lit the fire; Hamilton allegedly made false statements to help keep law enforcement from finding and arresting Stumpf and Stiles on December 10, the day they were apprehended.
Hall "was asked questions about (Stiles') telephone number and his whereabouts" and she gave investigators false information, per court records. Another court document says she "was asked questions about her friendship of greater than six years and denied knowing (Stumpf's) last name when in fact she was aware of the information."
Cincinnati Fire Chief Frank McKinley said fire investigation officials and Cincinnati police officers went to Hall's house to arrest her, which they were able to do without any trouble. However, with the aid of drones, investigators found that Stiles and Stumpf were hiding in an attic, refusing to come out.
This led to an hours-long SWAT standoff that eventually ended in Stiles' and Stumpf's arrests; in the meantime, by 2:30 p.m. that day, McKinley said Hamilton was in custody.
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