Bail of $75,000 set for Shelton arson suspect

By Jeremy Pawloski | The Olympian • Published August 28, 2008

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Bail was set at $75,000 Wednesday for a Shelton man referred to in court papers as the "pot belly arsonist."

David P. Boysen, 40, was booked Tuesday into Mason County Jail on suspicion of first-degree arson.

The arrest stems from an Aug. 20 incident in which a Fawn Lake woman and her son heard commotion outside their residence. When the woman went to the carport, she found a man with a thin build and an odd pot belly, court papers state.

The man apparently had shredded paper and placed it in the garage to make a fuse. The shreds led to a paint locker and to a bucket placed under the woman's automobile. The paper had been set on fire in an attempt to spread the blaze to the vehicle and the locker, according to court papers.

Fire reported by homeowner

The man walked away after being discovered, and the woman called 9-1-1, court papers state. Firefighters extinguished the blaze before major damage occurred.

Deputies later recovered evidence linking the crime with some damage at the Fawn Lake gate that occurred around the same time. Forensic evidence linking the two crimes also was recovered, court papers state. Surveillance photographs showed images of a suspect deputies think is responsible for both crimes.

Deputies think the suspect lives in the area because witnesses said they saw him on foot. Deputies made the arrest after searching the neighborhood.

Boysen has a history of arrests for forgery, weapons violations and drug violations, according to the Mason County Sheriff's Office.

Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff's office at 360-427-9670, ext. 313.