EAST ALTON – East Alton Police charged a resident with causing fire damage on public park property in one of several property damage cases filed in Madison County last week.
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Shemeika D. Hardin, 35, of East Alton, was charged with one count each of criminal damage to government-supported property (a Class 4 felony) and criminal damage to property (a Class A misdemeanor) on Sept. 23, 2026.
Hardin allegedly knowingly started a fire at Van Preter Park in East Alton the day prior on Sept. 22, 2026, causing damage to a trash can and surrounding grass without the consent of the property owner.
The East Alton Police Department presented the case against Hardin, who was ordered released pending trial with additional conditions imposed on her release.
Under the conditions of her pretrial release, Hardin has been ordered not to be present at Van Preter Park in East Alton and to refrain from possessing any firearms while on pretrial release.
Another East Alton woman was charged two days earlier in a separate case of criminal property damage.
28-year-old Demetria Porter was charged on Sept. 21, 2026, with a Class 4 felony count of criminal damage to property. On Sept. 19, 2026, Porter is accused of causing over $500 worth of damage to a 2002 Honda CRV without the vehicle owner’s consent.
Porter was also ordered released pending trial in the second case presented by the East Alton Police Department.
Trina G. Skelton, 46, of Alton, faces one count of criminal damage to property, a Class 4 felony, filed on Sept. 23, 2026. Skelton reportedly caused over $500 worth of damage to a 2005 Chevrolet Impala without the consent of the vehicle owner on May 12, 2026.
The Alton Police Department presented the case against Skelton, who was also released pending trial.
Glen Carbon resident James D. Johnson, 55, was charged in another separate case on Sept. 24, 2026 with a Class 4 felony count of criminal damage to property.
Johnson is accused of knowingly causing damage to another person’s wooden door and screen door on July 6, 2026, with the damage reportedly totaling over $500.
Johnson was ordered released pending trial in the case presented by the Glen Carbon Police Department.
All individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
