INDIANAPOLIS — A Beech Grove man is facing federal criminal charges, for setting fire to two buildings at the Amtrak Facility in Beech Grove.
34-year-old Casey Sage, who was arrested Monday in Indianapolis, is charged with Arson. If convicted, he faces 5 to 20 years in prison.
Court documents say on the night of May 1, 2021, Sage trespassed onto the grounds of the Amtrak facility, at 202 Garstang Street in Beech Grove. Surveillance video showed Sage moving around the Amtrak facility rail yard.
Then, early the next morning, Sage entered two storage buildings in the rail yard, which contained various flammable chemicals. Sage lit each building on fire, using railroad flares he picked up at the site.
Surveillance video showed both buildings erupted in flames. There were several explosions and flying debris as first responders arrived.
The buildings and their contents were entirely destroyed. Amtrak estimates that the fires resulted in one million dollars in damages.
“Mr. Sage committed a violent and dangerous criminal act,” said Acting U.S. Attorney John E. Childress. “By burning down two buildings containing flammable and hazardous materials, Sage not only destroyed public property, he exposed first responders and Amtrak employees to a substantial risk of serious injury. We are grateful for our law enforcement partners’ quick response to the scene and their speedy efforts to investigate this case.”
