Hamilton County Prosecutor Melissa Powers announces charges against four defendants in relation to Daniel Carter Beard Bridge fire

Today, Hamilton County Prosecutor Melissa Powers announced the indictment of Zachary Stumpf, Terry Stiles, Kaitlen Hall, and James Hamilton for conduct related to the November 1, 2024 fire that caused significant damage to the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge.

Zachary Stumpf and Terry Stiles each face three counts of Aggravated Arson (Felony 1) and one count of Arson (Felony 4). If convicted of all charges, they each face a maximum possible prison term of 38 and a half years. Kaitlen Hall and James Hamilton each face two counts of Obstructing Justice (Felony 3). If convicted of all charges, they each face a maximum possible prison term of six years.

In the early-morning hours of November 1, 2024 defendants Stumpf, Stiles, and Hall drove to the playground underneath the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge, which carries Interstate 471 and connects the states of Ohio and Kentucky. While at the playground, defendants Stumpf and Stiles started a fire that caused severe structural damage to the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge. This damage caused the bridge to be shut down to all traffic and placed motorists on the bridge at the time of the fire in extreme danger of death or other serious harm. Repairs to the bridge are expected to cost several million dollars.

During the course of the investigation that followed the fire, defendant Kaitlen Hall made false statements to investigators concerning her whereabouts and the whereabouts of defendants Stumpf and Stiles on the night of the fire. On December 10, when police were dispatched to arrest Stumpf and Stiles, defendant James Hamilton made additional false statements to police in an attempt to conceal their whereabouts.



Hamilton County Prosecutor Melissa Powers commented, “The conduct of Zachary Stumpf and Terry Stiles put the lives of innocent people in jeopardy, cost the taxpayers of Ohio millions of dollars, and inconvenienced thousands of commuters and travelers who rely on the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge to get to and from the city of Cincinnati. And, instead of doing the right thing and coming forward, they enlisted other people to lie for them in an attempt to evade punishment. My sincere hope is that they each spend the maximum amount of time possible behind bars.”