A mother and son have been arrested in connection with a fire that destroyed the Walker County Public Defender’s Office in downtown Jasper early Saturday morning.
The Jasper Police Department held a press conference on Thursday to announce the arrests of 19-year-old Joseph Cole Whitten Kolachuk and his mother, 42-year-old Amanda Jo Howard Kulichok, on charges of third-degree arson, third-degree burglary, and second-degree theft of property. Both suspects were booked into the Walker County Jail.
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According to investigators, the fire broke out around 4:28 a.m. on July 5 at the corner of 19th Street West and 4th Avenue. Jasper firefighters arrived within minutes to find heavy smoke and fire coming from the public defender’s office. Crews forced entry into the building but, after detecting dangerous flashover conditions, shifted to a defensive strategy to contain the fire. Fire crews remained on the scene for more than 12 hours.
The law office next door sustained significant water and smoke damage, but the fire was kept from spreading further down the block. Officials said the public defender’s office was completely destroyed, including all files and documents inside. No injuries were reported.
Police said the investigation began after a citizen reported suspicious activity in the area earlier that morning. Surveillance footage from nearby businesses and City Hall showed two individuals carrying items away from the building around the time of the fire. Investigators identified the suspects, interviewed them, and recovered several stolen items, including a pistol and identification cards taken from an attorney’s desk.
Both Kolachuk and Kulichok have reportedly been homeless for several years and were struggling with addiction, according to police.
Fire Chief Chris Upton said he was proud of the work of his firefighters.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the firefighters and officers at the Jasper Fire Department, and I would like to say a special thank you to the community members who showed up and supported our efforts Saturday.”
Police Chief Jay Poe also praised the teamwork and public cooperation that led to the arrests.
“The results of these two arrests are the result of a total team effort,” Poe said. “First off, the relationship with the public that we have here in Jasper. They feel comfortable calling us when they see something that doesn’t look right. And then all of these different agencies working together in unison to come up with the finality of this case here.”
The Jasper Police Department, Fire and Rescue, and various street departments worked alongside the Alabama State Fire Marshal’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Walker County District Attorney’s Office in the investigation and response.
Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at sherri@yellowhammernews.com.
