GRANITE CITY – A woman accused of damaging a vehicle while attempting to set it on fire has been released from custody against the request of Madison County prosecutors.
Carol L. Coddington, 62, of East St. Louis, was charged on Aug. 11, 2026 with one count each of attempted arson (a Class 3 felony) and criminal damage to property (a Class A misdemeanor).
On Aug. 10, 2026, Coddington allegedly “ignited flammable material and threw it underneath a motor vehicle” parked at a CVS location in Granite City with the intention of committing arson, according to charging documents. She is also accused of causing under $500 of damage to the vehicle’s splash guard by means of fire.
According to the state’s petition to deny Coddington’s pretrial release from custody, Granite City Police officers responded to a report of a fire in the CVS parking lot and found the splash guard of the victim’s vehicle had sustained fire damage. Employees told police Coddington had been trespassed from the business earlier that day.
A witness reported seeing Coddington park near the vehicle and begin “pouring a liquid near the vehicle, then throwing an object under it” before the petition states smoke began to appear from underneath the vehicle.
“Witness observed this fire beginning and pulled out an item, on fire, from under the vehicle and put it out with a bottle of water,” the petition states. “Officers examined the item, finding it to be a burnt purse. Defendant was located nearby and found to have a lighter, as well as a partially burnt stick in her vehicle.”
The state’s petition was denied, with a release order filed in this case indicating the state failed to prove by clear and convincing evidence that no condition could mitigate the safety threat posed by Coddington.
“The vehicle was unoccupied,” the release order states. “From start to finish, defendant’s actions were observed by witnesses, none of whom vacated the area, intervened or raised alarm other than video recording the odd event.”
Coddington was ordered released from custody pending trial under certain conditions. She has been ordered to have no contact with either of the vehicle owners in this case and not to enter or remain on the premises of the Granite City CVS location.
The case against Coddington was presented to prosecutors by the Granite City Police Department.
All individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
