Sterling man sent to prison for 9 years for setting fire to his apartment, strangling woman

MORRISON — A Sterling man has been sentenced to prison after admitting he set fire to his Sterling apartment last fall as officers arrived at his address to investigate an aggravated battery call.

Alan G. Marshall, 48, pleaded guilty Wednesday, May 28, to aggravated arson as part of a plea deal in connection with a Sept. 25 fire in the 600 block of West Fifth Street. He also pleaded guilty in a separate case to aggravated battery with strangulation for the call that brought police to his doorstep in the first place.

Sterling police were dispatched to that address shortly before 3:30 p.m. Sept. 25 for the battery call. Marshall, who police said was identified as a suspect in the domestic abuse case, fled from officers as they got into the area, ran into his residence, a duplex on West Fifth St., and barricaded himself in a room, according to a Sterling Police Department news release.

Officers then noticed the room Marshall was in was on fire and began evacuating everyone inside the duplex, including another separate apartment. Marshall left the residence on his own after a short period, was taken into custody, then taken to CGH Medical Center, police said.

Meanwhile, Sterling and Rock Falls firefighters along with CGH emergency medical services were dispatched to the fire scene. When they arrived four minutes later, at 5:09 p.m., smoke was showing from the 2½-story wood-frame duplex, and police worked to secure the scene and account for all occupants.

Firefighters were told to remain on standby, which they did for about 10 minutes, before they could fight the fire and enter the structure to look for occupants, according to the news release. In the meantime, a box alarm was issued to bring in firefighters from nearby communities.

The fire in a second-floor bedroom extended into the attic and second-floor ceilings. A second box alarm was issued at 5:43 p.m. to help with crew relief and assistance with the fire overhaul. The fire was declared under control at 6:50 p.m., and the state fire marshal was called in to investigate.

Sterling police at that time said Marshall would be charged upon his release from the hospital, where he was treated for smoke inhalation. Marshall was arrested near CGH Medical Center about 3:45 p.m. Oct. 2 on a warrant charging him with residential arson, arson and aggravated arson and also was formally charged with two counts of aggravated domestic battery, domestic battery and unlawful restraint in connection for events leading up to the fire. He has been held in the Whiteside County Jail since his arrest.

Marshall’s case had been moving toward trial until a negotiated plea was announced and considered at a May 5 hearing in Whiteside County court. That plea deal, which covered both cases, was rejected by the court.

Under terms of the new plea agreement considered and accepted Wednesday, Marshall pleaded guilty to aggravated arson, a Class X felony, and was sentenced to nine years in prison with credit for 239 days served. One count each of residential arson and arson were dismissed.

He also pleaded guilty to aggravated domestic battery, strangulation, and sentenced to seven years in prison to be served concurrently with the arson sentence. One count each of aggravated domestic battery, domestic battery and unlawful restraint were dismissed.

He was ordered to serve four years of mandatory supervised release after his prison term and must pay $2,028 in fines, fees and court costs.