Man accused of burning his father’s Lakewood home to remain held without bond

A former Crystal Lake man charged in May with setting a fire inside his father’s Lakewood home - where he was living while out on bond for a pending 2023 reckless driving case - will continue to be held in the county jail without bond, a McHenry County judge ruled Wednesday.

Connor C. Kirkpatrick, 28, allegedly started the fire while awaiting trial in the reckless driving case in which he’s accused of plowing his car into a Crystal Lake home last summer and severely injuring a man who lived there and taking a shower at the time.

In arguing her motion to revoke bond on the new case, Assistant State’s Attorney Maria Marek said in her petition that the night before pouring four gallons of gasoline throughout the home and lighting it with a cigarette lighter, Kirkpatrick sent a text to his father threatening to start a fire.

His father told police officers that he received a text from his son regarding the “incredible pain” he felt after undergoing occupational therapy and stating among other things, “When EVERYTHING EVER IS A TORTURE DEVICE, HERE ENJOY LIFE. I want to set everything on fire and burn,” according to the prosecutor’s petition filed in the courthouse.

While in the hospital being treated for injuries that resulted from the fire, Kirkpatrick allegedly told police that “he lit the fire inside his father’s house intentionally,” according to the petition.

Kirkpatrick, who has been held in the county jail since being released from the hospital, was charged with aggravated arson, a Class X felony, as well as residential arson and criminal damage to property, according to court documents in the McHenry County courthouse.

Last year, Kirkpatrick was charged with criminal damage to property, aggravated reckless driving and reckless conduct stemming from the July 27 crash in which he allegedly drove his vehicle 94 mph, 66 miles faster than allowed, and propelled into the Crystal Lake garage and home of Angelo Pleotis, 65.

The occupational therapy Kirkpatrick refers to in his text to his father the night before allegedly setting the fire was due to injuries sustained in the crash.

Marek’s petition continued that, while in the hospital, Kirkpatrick told police that the reason he started the fire at his father’s home was because “he had a weird dislike for his residence because when he crashed his car into (Pleotis’ home) he has no recollection of it and only remembers taking a nap on his couch.”

He also told police that he “does not get along with his father and he wanted to cause damage to his father’s property,” the petition states.

“The release of the defendant would pose a real and present threat to the physical safety of any person or persons,” Marek wrote in the petition. “The defendant has a criminal history indicative of violent, abusive and assaultive behavior.”

After Kirkpatrick’s vehicle crashed into Pleotis’ house, both men were airlifted to a hospital.

Pleotis, who was in the shower at the time of the crash, arrived at the hospital in critical condition, “presenting as clinically paralyzed,” according to the state’s petition.

Pleotis endured multiple spinal cord and rib fractures and underwent surgery on his spine including a spinal fusion. He continues to suffer from post-traumatic paraplegia and requires continued rehabilitation services, the petition states.

Angelo’s son, Phillip Pleotis said Thursday that his father is “doing OK” though he has been dealing with infections that landed him back in the hospital.

Angelo Pleotis remains living in a rehabilitation facility in Woodstock and his house has since been sold, his son said.

“We are just trying to take everything day by day,” Pleotis said.

“Angelo’s road to recovery,” a GoFundMe set up for Angelo Pleotis, has raised just over $100,000 of a $250,000 goal.

Kirkpatrick’s attorney William Bligh said he objected Wednesday to holding his client in jail without the option of posting bond.

Kirkpatrick, Bligh said, requires treatments for his mental and physical health. He wants him to still have the option of posting bond to be released in order to receive the treatments he needs.

Last year, Connor’s father, Charles Kirkpatrick posted $5,000 of a $50,000 bond in the reckless driving case and he was released from jail. During the hearing Wednesday, Judge Tiffany Davis also revoked that bond and granted a defense motion to return the $5,000 to the Charles Kirkpatrick, according to the order from Wednesday’s hearing.

A civil case also is pending against Connor Kirkpatrick. The Pleotis family has filed a motion to add his father to the lawsuit as a defendant, according to court documents.

Connor Kirkpatrick is due back in court Aug. 23.