An Andover man set fire to his own camper trailer inside a locked Ham Lake storage lot, using an accelerant and fleeing as flames erupted, according to charges.
Troy William Drusch, who was 38 at the time, faces a charge of second-degree arson.
According to the complaint, Anoka County sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of a fire at Frovik’s Towing in Ham Lake on November 29, 2025. A passerby had called 911 after seeing a camper trailer ablaze inside the locked storage lot. Fire crews gained access and extinguished the fire, but the trailer was destroyed and valued at $10,000.
READ MORE → Anoka County coverage
Deputies spoke with the lot owner, who said the camper had been towed to the impound lot about a month earlier after being abandoned at a Walgreens in Anoka County. Drusch, the registered owner, had called every other day for a month about retrieving the trailer but refused to pay the impound fees. On the day of the fire and for more than a month after, Drusch stopped calling, despite having no reason to know the trailer had been destroyed.
Investigators reviewed surveillance footage from nearby businesses, which showed a man entering the storage lot, the camper erupting in flames at about 2:15 a.m. and the man fleeing. A closer look showed the man lighting something in his hands, tossing it onto the trailer and then spraying an accelerant over it before he left.
At the scene, officers found a plastic bottle that smelled of gasoline. Testing later revealed Drusch’s DNA on the bottle. The complaint notes that under Minnesota arson statutes, it is not a defense that Drusch owned the property that was destroyed.
The complaint says Drusch also faces a series of unrelated charges, including second-degree assault, domestic assault by strangulation and felon in possession of a firearm, all from separate incidents.
The charge was filed September 28 in Anoka County District Court.
About This Charge
Minnesota classifies arson by degree (§ 609.561 through § 609.5631), with first-degree arson, dwelling with another person inside, carrying up to 20 years in prison. Criminal damage to property is charged under § 609.595.
Related MN CRIME Coverage
Arson Charges Filed After 18-Hour Barricade in Nowthen • Spring Lake Park Man Charged After Corvette Flight Injures Officer • Pine City Man Charged After Running Down 2 in Linwood Township
Jurisdictional Context
Anoka County, north of the Twin Cities, is served by the Anoka County Attorney’s Office through the Tenth Judicial District. The Anoka County Courthouse in Anoka hears felony matters; the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office operates the Anoka County Jail.
