Standing in front of the burned-out shell of St. Michael Catholic Church in Wheaton, investigators announced Friday that they had charged a parishioner with setting a blaze that originally was thought to be accidental.
Investigators said Adam Palinski, 21, of the 500 block of Arbor Drive, Wheaton, walked into the church early Monday morning and used matches to start a fire that gutted the sanctuary.
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Palinski is accused of then walking several blocks to his home and attempting to set a fire at the home of a neighbor, Barry Brennan, investigators said.
Authorities did not say what they think motivated Palinski, who attended St. Michael school. Palinski is a 1999 graduate of Wheaton Warrenville South High School, where Brennan teaches math and is a basketball coach.
“It appears to be just a malicious act of vandalism by someone who obviously had some anger, whether it was directed at the church or others,” said DuPage County State’s Atty. Joseph Birkett.
Palinski is charged with one count of arson and one count of aggravated arson. He faces up to 7 years in prison for the first charge and up to 30 for the other.
Palinski was arrested Thursday and appeared in bond court Friday, where bail was set at $2.5 million. His attorney, Jack Donahue, was out of town Friday.
Palinski has a history of alcohol and drug-related misdemeanor convictions, according to court records. In 2000, he was convicted twice of possession of marijuana and once of DUI. In 2001, he spent 10 days in jail after he was convicted of misdemeanor theft. He later was convicted of underage drinking and given a $140 fine.
Investigators say that after the fire at the church intensified, Palinski walked home, got several containers of gasoline, doused Brennan’s home in five places and tried to ignite it.