Steelville Man Charged With Setting Home On Fire

A Steelville man has been charged with burning down a home Dec. 4 in the 100 block of McCormick Road.

Nathan Cassidy, 36, faces one count of second-degree arson.

On December 4, 2022, deputies with the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office and members of the Steelville Fire Department responded to a house fire in the 100 block of McCormick Rd., Steelville. Deputies had received information that the fire was intentionally set. 

A request for our office's fire investigator to respond to the scene was made and it was clear from the investigation that the fire was intentionally set with multiple areas of origin. There was no victims present in the home at the time of the fire and no injuries reported. On December 7, 2022 an interview was conducted of a suspect that was currently in custody on a separate charge by our fire investigator. As a result of that interview the suspect admitted to intentionally setting the fire.

Cassidy had been taken into custody on December 6, 2022, after a capias warrant was issued on December 5, 2022, for failing to obey judges orders, reference an incident that occurred on October 14, 2022. That incident is referenced below.

In the October 14 incident, Deputies responded to the 100 block of McCormick Rd. Steelville, for a report of a domestic disturbance where it was alleged that Cassidy had assaulted his girlfriend, and as she left the residence to contact 911 he struck her vehicle with his fists causing damage. Cassidy was not located at the address when Deputies later responded. Later that evening after the victim returned home, she located Cassidy in the residence and contacted law enforcement again. Upon deputies arrival the suspect fled from deputies, but was later located and taken into custody. 

As a result of that incident Cassidy was charged on October 15, 2022 with Domestic Assault 3rd Degree-Class E Felony, Resisting Arrest for a Felony-Class E Felony, and Property Damage- 2nd Degree, Class B Misdemeanor, with a bond set at that time of $25,000 cash/surety, with GPS monitoring, and no contact with the victim. Cassidy later posted a surety bond on October 19, 2022, and was released.