Additional details released about alleged St. Clair County home arson, battery

A man charged with arson and battery was likely struggling with alcohol abuse and possible mental health conditions on the day a fire destroyed his Lenzburg home, his defense attorney argued in a court hearing Tuesday.

Raymond J. Generous, 44, is accused of battering his teenage child and setting items in their house on fire on Friday.

St. Clair County Assistant State’s Attorney Judith Dalan told the court that the teenager left to get help, and the house was engulfed in flames when first responders arrived.

Generous was charged Saturday with aggravated arson, a Class X felony; residential arson, a Class 1 felony; aggravated domestic battery, a Class 2 felony; domestic battery, a Class A misdemeanor; and endangering the life or health of a child, a Class A misdemeanor.

Dalan said Generous appeared intoxicated on body camera footage, was “verbally abusive” to law enforcement and later couldn’t remember significant details about the incident.

Generous wants to seek mental health and substance abuse evaluations, according to Assistant Public Defender Jordan Blazek-Guinan, who noted his client had previously suffered head injuries.

He added that Generous’ family described his behavior that day as unusual, and they appeared in court to support him. Blazek-Guinan argued that Generous would not be a threat should he be released from jail with a leg monitor and other conditions pending his trial.

“That’s clearly not my client’s typical behavior,” Blazek-Guinan said. “... There are multiple reasons why my client is not a danger to the community.”

Ultimately, Associate Judge Sara Rice ordered that Generous, who appeared in court virtually, continue to be jailed pending his trial.

The day of the Lenzburg house fire

The prosecution alleges that on Friday afternoon, the teenager was sleeping when Generous started screaming outside the house.

Generous later “struck, kicked and fought” the teen and started lighting items on fire, the charging documents state. Dalan alleged one of the items was a jacket; she said the teen extinguished that flame.

Generous told first responders that other people were in the house when that wasn’t true, according to Dalan. They ran to the burning house, and charging documents state one fireman injured his knee. Dalan said multiple others needed IV fluids.

Blazek-Guinan argued it’s unclear what exactly caused the house to burn. He suggested even a loose cigarette butt could have started it.