By Shereen Siewert
Probable cause was found Wednesday in the case of a Wausau man accused of setting two fires in the Wausau area, including a sober living home.
Alexander Krohn, 28, was the subject of a manhunt earlier this month after the fires were allegedly set. He was captured in Rotshchild.
On Dec. 21, prosecutors filed charges of arson, first-degree recklessly endangering safety, second-degree recklessly endangering safety, resisting or obstructing an officer and bail jumping in connection with the Dec. 18 fires.
The the charges stem from a call at about 12:30 a.m. Dec. 18 regarding a structure fire at a home in the 300 block of North Third Avenue, a sober living home. When crews arrived, heavy smoke was pouring from the second story of the building. All residents were accounted for except for Krohn. The blaze began in Krohn’s room, according to the police report, and a resident told police he opened the door of the room to see flames after smelling smoke and hearing a smoke detector alarm.
Fire crews extinguished the blaze, but Krohn’s room was heavily damaged, police said.
During the time that crews were battling the Third Avenue blaze, a second fire was reported in the 1400 block of Lake Street, a home owned by one of Krohn’s family members. Two people inside the home said they were sleeping when they were awakened by a loud crash. The two residents then saw flames on the south side of the home, which was heavily damaged in the blaze.
Police say Krohn did not properly notify staff he was leaving the sober living home, nor did he sign out. Officers noted that five smoke detectors were removed completely and one had batteries removed from the interior of the building. Two, which were not easily accessible, remained, according to court records
Court records show Krohn was convicted in 2019 of fleeing an officer and possession of methamphetamine. He was released in October 2020 from prison and already had two new open cases pending in Marathon County Circuit Court before his weekend arrest.
During a preliminary hearing Wednesday, Reserve Circuit Judge Jill Falstad ordered Krohn bound over for arraignment and trial. He remains behind bars.
A pretrial conference is set for Feb. 7.
