Man Sets Trees on Fire, Threatens Construction Workers

A Pierce County, Washington man is facing multiple charges after allegedly burning dozens of trees and threatening construction workers.

Prosecutors charged the 44-year-old man with two counts of second-degree arson, two counts of felony harassment and third-degree malicious mischief, according to court records.

A plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf during an arraignment Tuesday. Pierce County Superior Court Commissioner Barbara McInvaille set bail at $100,000.

Court documents show the alleged crimes spanned from Fircrest to Tacoma until the man’s arrest in University Place.

Arbor arson

A patrol officer in Fircrest was dispatched at 11:50 a.m. Monday to the 100 block of Berkeley Avenue for a possible arson. It was reported someone had set fire to bushes in the front yard of a home. The officer was advised the incident might have been related to others that occurred in Tacoma, according to charging documents.

Documents show there was a “significant amount” of smoke in the front yard, and people at the scene used a fire extinguisher to put out the flames. Witnesses described the suspected arsonist’s appearance, and officers conducted a search in the area.

The defendant was arrested after someone reported seeing a man near a post office at University Place, documents show. He allegedly was holding a lighter when police found him. There was also a strong odor of smoke coming from him.

Documents state that when the man was in custody, officers in Tacoma connected him to an arson that happened at about 11:30 a.m. that day in the 1200 block of South Woodlawn Avenue.

The homeowner told police his house was lined with trees, and they were set on fire. Many of the trees were bare and black, documents show. The homeowner confirmed 35 of his trees were damaged, and it was about a $21,000 loss.

Officers noted the trees were a short distance from the house, and the structure easily could have caught on fire.

Harassing construction workers

The defendant also is a suspect in an incident near WinCo Foods grocery store in the 6200 block of 6th Avenue where a man threatened to kill a construction worker just before 10:30 a.m., according to documents.

Documents show the worker was part of a crew using excavators to dig up part of the nearby parking lot. He told police the workers saw a man come into the construction area, and he was talking to himself. The man allegedly yelled he did not want the workers to bury dead bodies.

The construction worker told police the man turned to him and pulled out a 12-inch knife and said, “I’m going to kill you.” When the man noticed other workers, he put the knife back in his pocket and ran off.

Documents show another 911 call reported that a construction worker for a different project in that area reported a man stabbed his car tire with a knife and ran off behind the grocery store.

Police began to search for the man and noted that within the hour multiple 911 callers reported someone starting a fire in Fircrest. After he was arrested, it was determined from the suspect description that he had threatened both construction workers near the grocery store.

The defendant was taken to the Pierce County Jail. Lighters and a knife that were found on him were booked into evidence by police.

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