Tent City Joliet: Homeless Man, 33, Faces Arson Charges

JOLIET — Joshua Clark, a 33-year-old homeless man who lives at Joliet's Tent City, faces four criminal charges from the Will County Sheriff's Office in connection with allegations that Clark threatened to burn down multiple tents on Sunday.

Will County State's Attorney's Office of Jim Glasgow has charged Clark with attempted aggravated arson, attempted residential arson, attempted arson and disorderly conduct following the Will County Sheriff's investigation.

According to the criminal complaint, Clark announced his intentions "to go burn that bitch down" while displaying a Bic lighter and further telling other people that he was going to burn down two residential tents belonging to a man and a woman.

Next, Clark walked toward the tents that he was going to burn down, according to Will County prosecutors.

The criminal complaint indicates the tents that Clark vowed to burn down each have a value of $150 or more.

As for the disorderly conduct, Clark called 911 unnecessarily on Sunday, two separate times, for the purpose of making or transmitting a complaint, when Clark "knew there was no reasonable ground for making the call and further knew that the call could result in the emergency response of any public safety agency," court charges show.

According to his arrest warrant, Clark is unemployed, homeless and a resident of Joliet's Tent City.

Authorities told Joliet Patch that Clark was taken into custody by Will County sheriff's, however, he was then taken to an area hospital for a mental health evaluation.

Clark was in the Will County Jail for three days in mid-May, in connection with an arrest on charges of criminal trespass and criminal damage to property. He was also in the county jail two days last August in connection with domestic battery charges.

Five years ago, Joliet Patch produced a lengthy human interest column about Tent City, which has existed on Joliet's east side for decades.

Tent City is located in a large forest, bordered on one side by the back of the Mt. Olivet Cemetery and the railroad tracks along Washington Street. It's also less than a half-mile away from Daybreak Shelter on East Cass Street.

Tent City Home For Many Joliet Area Homeless: Ferak Column