A woman accused of setting a fire inside the Woodstock Walmart on New Year’s Eve did not argue against a prosecutor’s petition Friday to detain her in the county jail pretrial.
Adilyn R. Monette, 21, of Woodstock, is charged with aggravated arson, a Class X felony. The charge was increased from arson, a Class 2 felony. Another charge of damage to property was dismissed, according to information in the McHenry County court.
The more serious Class X charge alleges that Monette knew or should have known one or more people were in the store at the time she allegedly started the fire, according to information in the court.
No further details were provided in court on Friday because Assistant Public Defender David Giesinger told Judge Cynthia Lamb that Monette would not argue for pretrial release.
Monette is accused of driving to the store and covering “numerous baby cribs in camping fuel,” then using matches to light them on fire. Walmart managers said the damages were over $5 million, according to the complaint.
The Woodstock Fire/Rescue District was called to the store at 7:22 p.m. Wednesday, department spokesperson Alex Vucha said. The store was being evacuated when fire crews arrived and found indications of the fire near the back of the store. The building’s automatic sprinkler system had put out the fire by that time, Vucha said.
The store has been closed since the fire, and as of Friday, it remained unclear when the store would reopen. The pharmacy drive-through is still open, a store representative said.
If convicted on a Class X felony, Monette could face six to 30 years in prison. She is due back in court Wednesday.
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