information from Seattle Police Blotter

SPD Arson investigators have identified a 38-year-old man as the suspect in a series of large arson fires set in the Ballard, Fremont and Queen Anne neighborhoods late last year.

Detectives believe the man set five fires at businesses between October 28thand November 28th, including:

• An office complex in the 200 block of Etruria Street on October 28th, 2018.
• An Elks lodge in the 3000 block of 3rd Avenue NW on November 8th.
• A lumber yard in the 300 block of West Ewing Street on November 10th.
• A gymnasium in the 1400 block of Northwest 52nd Street on November 19th.
• And a restaurant 5400 block of Ballard Avenue Northwest on November 28th.

Police estimate the fires caused more than four and a half million dollars in damage.

On February 6th, police received notification of a DNA match from the Washington State Crime Lab, which had analyzed evidence recovered from one of the crime scenes.

Police later located the suspect, who was already in custody at the Whatcom County Jail on an unrelated case. SPD investigators are now working with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to bring charges against the man.