Lake Forest Arson Charge Lands Nicholas Caban Back In Lake County Jail

WAUKEGAN, IL — One of the two Highland Park men involved in last month's deadly lakefront altercation is accused of setting fire to a Lake Forest business while drunk.

Nicholas Caban, 20, had been out on bail since Sept. 19 as he awaits trial on a charge of possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number.

Investigators found a loaded 9mm Glock in a backpack in Caban's bedroom while executing a search warrant hours after the Sept. 17 discovery of a dead man at Fort Sheridan Beach, authorities said.

Matthew Ascaridis, 45, who lived nearby, died as a result of multiple injuries following a fight with Caban and his companion — 18-year-old Jacob Firestone — shortly after 1 a.m. on a Saturday morning, according to the Lake County sheriff's and coroner's offices.

Ascaridis, a father of two and founder of a retirement planning firm, coached several youth hockey teams on the North Shore. A memorial youth hockey scholarship fund has been established in his name at the Northbrook-based nonprofit Helping Hands Network.

Firestone has been charged with two counts of obstructing justice for allegedly attempting to conceal evidence following the confrontation.

The altercation began, authorities said, after Ascaridis left his home to confront the pair about the noise they were making.

According to Firestone's attorney, Ascaridis beat the 18-year-old with a flashlight, causing him to suffer a brain bleed and require hospitalization. Caban, who appeared in court last month with a visible black eye, needed several stitches to his head after he was "pummeled" by Ascaridis, his attorney said.

In addition to the gun charge, Caban was already under court supervision after pleading guilty last year to a drug offense in a deal prosecutors had been seeking to revoke since April.

Now, following an Oct. 7 encounter with Lake Forest police, Caban faces a fresh felony count of arson, as well as a misdemeanor underage drinking charge.

According to Lake Forest police, fire crews and police were dispatched to Lou's Garage, 1260 Skokie Highway, on the evening of Oct. 7 for a report of a trailer on fire. Witnesses spotted someone leaving the trailer and heading south on the bike path and gave officers a detailed description of the suspect.

Police broadcast his description to all local departments, and Caban was soon located by a Highland Park officer. Officers noticed his breath smelled of alcohol and he appeared to be intoxicated, according to police.

Caban declined to speak with officers, but a search of his person turned up a pair of cigarette lighters, a knife and a half-empty bottle of vodka, police said. He was charged with minor in possession of alcohol and released on a $120 bond.

Officers also learned that Caban was out on bond in connection with the gun charge, and reported that the terms of his bail forbade him from consuming alcohol or possessing dangerous weapons.

"Officers spoke with the on‐call Lake County State's Attorney to get a bond violation since Caban was in possession of a weapon and had consumed alcohol. Officers were advised that the Lake County States Attorney's Office would not approve the bond violation," police reported.

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According to a spokesperson for the state's attorney's office, prosecutors did not have the legal authority for a new felony charge of violation of bail bond, which can only be filed in firearm or domestic cases.

Instead, the state's attorney's office learned of the arson investigation and filed a motion on Oct. 12 to increase the cash portion of Caban's bond on the gun charge.

"This was the correct procedure under the current law," Steve Spagnolo said in a statement.

It is not uncommon for prosecutors to file petitions to revoke bond when people are charged with crimes while awaiting trial on other offenses.

On Monday, Lake County Associate Judge Theodore Potkonjak granted the prosecution's motion and doubled the cash portion of Caban's existing bond.

Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart said prosecutors worked with Lake Forest police "over several days" to wrap up the investigation into the Oct. 7 fire ahead of Sunday's approval of felony charges.

“[W]e needed to incorporate the work of the fire department and the statements of an eyewitness after the incident," Rinehart said in a statement. "I want to thank everyone involved in building a rock-solid arson case against this offender.”

And on Tuesday, Lake County Associate Judge Theodore Potkonjak ordered Caban to remain at Lake County Jail until his next court appearance unless Caban can come up with $110,000 in cash, at which point he would have to remain on 24-hour curfew.

Firestone remains jailed until he can come up with the $7,500 cash portion of his bond on the obstruction charges. He is due back in court Oct. 20.

Related:

• Man, 20, Involved In Fatal Fort Sheridan Beach Fight Faces Firearm Charge
• 18-Year-Old Charged With Obstructing Justice In Fort Sheridan Death
• Fort Sheridan Homicide Victim Beat Man, 18, With Flashlight: Attorney