Charges have been filed against a suspect accused of intentionally lighting a house fire, resulting in a more than two-hour standoff with a SWAT team in Deerfield where two responders were injured.
The Deerfield Police Department responded around 11:55 a.m. on April 23 to the 400 block of Deerfield Road for a report of a well-being check.
Officers were requested to check on a person residing at a house, police officials said.
Officers arrived and made contact with the adult male subject, later identified as George H. Miller, 21, of Deerfield.
Miller made threatening comments and retreated into the home where weapons were reported to possibly be present, police officials said.
Police officials said the assistance of numerous surrounding police agencies and the Northern Illinois Police Alarm System Emergency Services Team (NIPAS EST) was requested to assist.
Police officers began securing the immediate scene and the surrounding area.
An arrest warrant said Miller threw knives at a police detective and a police officer.
The Deerfield-Bannockburn Fire Protection District responded to the scene to stand by.
Deerfield-Bannockburn Fire Protection District Deputy Chief Ray Larson said fire crews were staging and working with the police department when a small fire began in the front room of the two-story, single-family home.
A fire also occurred in a second-floor bedroom. Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire from the outside.
The arrest warrant said Miller intentionally lit the fire.
Miller, who was apparently experiencing a mental health episode, surrendered himself to law enforcement personnel around 2:40 p.m.
The man was transported to a local hospital for an evaluation, Larson said.
Larson said a firefighter and a police officer both suffered injuries from falling debris during the incident.
They were transported to the hospital for treatment and later released.
Larson said it is unknown whether the home was deemed uninhabitable but utilities were disconnected to the home.
The Northbrook, Lincolnshire, Winnetka, Lake Forest, Highland Park and Buffalo Grove fire departments assisted at the scene.
The Glenview, Wheeling, Northfield, Mundelein and Long Grove fire departments covered Deerfield fire stations.
Deerfield Road was shut down from Beverly Court to Rosemary Terrace due to the incident.
Court records show Miller was charged on Friday with two counts of aggravated arson causing injury to an emergency worker, a Class X felony; residential arson, a Class 1 felony; and two counts of aggravated assault of a peace officer, a Class 4 felony.
An arrest warrant was issued and Miller was taken into custody on Tuesday. He was set to appear for a detention hearing on Wednesday afternoon.