Aggravated arson charge brought against woman

KANKAKEE — Kankakee police arrested Frances T. Rogers earlier this week after officers allegedly found her with a gas can and a lit cigarette as she stood on the porch of a residence in the 700 block of East Locust Street.

Officers were called to the residence at approximately 10:03 p.m. Wednesday, according to a police report.

The 40-year-old Rogers said she had nothing to say when officers asked her what she was doing.

Rogers refused officers’ orders to come off the porch to talk to them. They had to physically remove the gas can from her hand and attempted to put her in handcuffs but she resisted, the police said.

Police accuse Rogers of also being in possession of a flat-head screwdriver that was found on her.

Detectives spoke with two subjects who were inside the residence at the time of the incident, police said.

They said Rogers lived there and was involved in a fight at the residence earlier in the day. They said her car keys were taken from her by another subject due to her behavior, police said in the report.

When Rogers returned to the residence, the individuals told police she started pouring gasoline on the floor in the living room and saying she was going to kill them.

According to Kankakee County court online records, Rogers has been charged with aggravated arson by the state’s attorney’s office.