Adel woman faces arson charge

Haven Patricia Hewett, 28, of Adel was arrested Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, and charged with arson in the first degree and criminal damage to property, second degree, according to the Cook County Sheriff’s Office.

According to warrants, the offenses occurred between 10:20 a.m. and 12:06 p.m. Nov. 23 at a residence on Pond Road. Cook County Fire Chief Johnny West said Southeast Cook and Cecil Stations were paged out to the residence.  

The original call was to check a residence to make sure that a previous fire was extinguished by the owner. Once on the scene, fire personnel verified the fire was out with thermal imaging; then informed that another fire was burning in another area of the residence. The fire was extinguished.  

After investigating, a deputy with the Cook County Sheriff’s Office had enough evidence to arrest a suspect.

According to warrants, Ms. Hewett damaged a woman’s dwelling when she started multiple fires in the home, located in the bathroom and the air conditioner closet. The blaze burned the bathroom walls, door, and ceiling, and burned the walls and air filter device in the a/c closet.

On Nov. 25, Cook County Magistrate Judge Ronnie Fender set bond (pretrial release from jail) for Ms. Hewett at $20,000 (property). Bond conditions include shall not return to the Pond Road address.

According to information reported during the first appearance/bond hearing in Magistrate Court, Ms. Hewett has completed school through the 12th grade, has resided two years at her current home address, and is not employed. The accused has requested a court-appointed defense attorney.

The Alapaha Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case, which is pending in Cook County Superior Court.