Four teenagers to stand trial in Poplar Bluff church arson

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Four Poplar Bluff teenagers have been ordered to stand trial for allegedly throwing Molotov cocktails into a local church, and then setting the church on fire when the devices didn't work.

Robert Benjamin Rushin, 18, of the 700 block of County Road 456; Zachary Edward Surque, 18, of the 100 block of County Road 4703; and Dylan W. Causbie, 17, of the 200 block of County Road 437, each appeared separately before Associate Circuit Judge John Bloodworth on Thursday for preliminary hearings in their cases.

The teens, along with Andrew Storm McClure, 19, of the 2000 block of Tumbleweed Trail, are charged with the felonies of second-degree arson and unlawful use of a weapon in connection with a Feb. 6 fire at Fellowship General Baptist Church in which the church's youth room was damaged.

Rushin, who was accompanied by attorney Jim Spain, who was standing in for attorney Sam Spain, signed a written waiver of his preliminary hearing Thursday afternoon.

Bloodworth accepted the waiver and ordered Rushin to appear at 9 a.m. March 22 before Presiding Circuit Judge Michael Pritchett for arraignment.

After questioning from Bloodworth, Causbie, who was accompanied by attorney Kyle Warren, also waived his preliminary hearing Thursday afternoon.

Surque had appeared earlier in the day with his attorney, John Scott, and waived his preliminary hearing.

After accepting Causbie and Surque's waivers, Bloodworth ordered each of them to appear at 9 a.m. March 22 before Pritchett for arraignment on the charges.

McClure reportedly appeared Thursday with Scott and filed a written waiver of his preliminary hearing.

After questioning McClure, Bloodworth accepted the teen's voluntary waiver and ordered him to appear at 9 a.m. March 15 before Pritchett for arraignment on the charges.

The charges stem from a fire reported just before 3:45 a.m. Feb. 6 to the Butler County Sheriff's Department.

Also responding were members of the Poplar Bluff Police Department, State Fire Marshal's Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives.

Preliminary scene examination, according to earlier reports, revealed the cause of the fire was incendiary after a Molotov cocktail was found intact inside the building. Windows allegedly were broken and the Molotov cocktails thrown inside.

Perrier water bottles allegedly were used to make the cocktails and their purchase was tracked to the Walmart Supercenter.

Surveillance video from the store, as well as witness statements, identified the four teens as suspects in the fire.

After their arrests, Rushin, McClure and Causbie told officers about their alleged actions the night of the fire, including how they had purchased the water bottles and used them. They also allegedly told about later returning to the church, only to find no fire. Police said they then dumped gasoline into the building through the broken windows and ignited it.

Pertinent address:

Poplar Bluff, MO