Man arrested for arson in Tumwater had plans to burn his mother’s house down, sheriff says
A 47-year-old man was arrested in Tumwater on Saturday night after reports he was planning on burning his mother’s house down.
Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders posted on his social media about the Nov. 16 arrest. He said that night deputies were notified by Grays Harbor authorities that a man at a gas station had made comments about burning his mother’s house down while he was filling up gas cans. The information was relayed, but the location wasn’t known.
Sanders said deputies discovered there was a protection order in place, and a 911 call came in at 9:44 p.m. from a neighbor on 60th Lane Southwest near Black Lake about a suspicious person talking about burning houses down.
When deputies arrived, Sanders said the suspect had already lit two houses on fire and was working on dousing a third house in gasoline when deputies intervened.
The man had rammed a community gate to gain entry to the neighborhood.
Sanders said the man resisted arrest and had to be placed in a WRAP restraint system. Fire personnel were able to safely put the fires out.
The man was booked into the Thurston County jail for suspicion of first-degree arson and first-degree arson domestic violence, as well as first-degree malicious mischief and first-degree malicious mischief domestic violence.
Sanders said a major tragedy was prevented by attentive citizens who called 911 to report suspicious behavior and first responders intervening quickly.
This story was originally published November 18, 2024 at 11:23 AM.
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