Benton, IL man facing charges after smoke billows from fire department training facility

BENTON, Ill. (KBSI) – A man faces several charge after a Franklin County Sheriff’s patrol saw smoke billowing from a fire department training facility in Benton.

The patrol was traveling on Grand Street in Benton on Tuesday, January 30 around 8 a.m. when a sheriff’s deputy saw a large amount of smoke bellowing from the Benton Fire Department Training Facility.

No vehicle or fire department apparatus were at the facility.

A man was seen standing in a second-story doorway of the building.

When the sheriff’s deputy contacted the man he jumped from the second story and ran away, according to Franklin County Sheriff Kyle Bacon.

Several sheriff’s deputies and Benton Police officers arrived to help search for him. They found him and arrested him.

Kenneth W. Shurtz, 49, of Benton faces charges of obstructing a peace officer, criminal trespass to property, criminal damage to state supported property, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of methamphetamine.

Shurtz was taken to the Franklin County Jail.