Elijah Born, (Adams County Justice Center, Courtesy)
HASTINGS — A Hastings man facing two felony charges, after an arson incident at the Brewery Loft Apartments, has had his case bound over to Adams County District Court.
Elijah Born, 21, is charged with aiding and abetting a Class 2 felony, a Class 2 felony and possession of a firearm while committing a felony, a Class 2 felony.
Following a preliminary hearing, held on March 6, probable cause was found and the case was bound over to district court. An arraignment date has been set for April 1 at 2 p.m.
Born’s bail remains set at 10 percent of $50,000.
According to an affidavit submitted in Adams County Court, at 6:38 a.m. on Feb. 4, an officer with the Hastings Police Department was dispatched to the Brewery Loft Apartments, 219 W. 2nd St. for an arson investigation.
It was found that a large orange traffic cone had been intentionally set on fire at the bottom of stairwell three on the southwest corner with newspaper being used as kindling.
Firefighters with Hastings Fire and Rescue advised that the entire four-story stairwell was filled with black smoke when they arrived on scene. Four occupants from the building were transported to Mary Lanning Hospital for smoke inhalation.
In total there were 30 occupied apartments with an estimated 50 residents.
It was noted the fire alarm had not sounded until after the firefighters entered the building. The fire department had been contacted by a resident who had entered the smoke-filled stairwell.
Damages are estimated at around $5,000 including smoke damage to the stairwell. No residences were damaged by the fire.
Surveillance footage was reviewed and showed an individual, identified as Born, and a 15-year-old Hastings resident entered the building carrying the traffic cone.
Both Born and the 15-year-old would be arrested following the investigation.
