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Man accused of arson reportedly has mental health issues

The Daily Herald - 11/11/2018

LYNNWOOD — A 31-year-old man allegedly set fire to a house Wednesday night in an attempt to kill himself.

He had been living in the abandoned house on Locust Way, in a neighborhood east of Lynnwood, according to police reports.

His mother, who first called 911, said her son has a history of severe mental illness and that he previously stayed at Fairfax Behavioral Health in Kirkland. She said he recently had been involuntarily detained for mental health reasons, but the hospital released him within 12 hours.

She said he also was known to use methamphetamine.

The suspect reportedly called his mother around 8 p.m., saying he was going to burn the house down and board himself up in the bathroom.

The man had apparently left by the time deputies arrived and the house was engulfed in flames.

Firefighters were forced to wait until deputies figured out where the man was and if he presented a threat.

Neighboring homes were evacuated. The roof of the abandoned house collapsed, making the building unsafe to enter.

No one was injured.

The deputies tried tracking the suspect through his cellphone, but failed. Soon after, he texted his mother that he was at Bing and Damson roads, a couple of miles away.

Deputies found and arrested him. He said he set fire to the house, but was not high on methamphetamine, according to documents.

He refused to appear for his bail hearing Thursday. The Everett District Court judge found probable cause for first-degree arson and set bail at $100,000.

The suspect previously was found guilty of other crimes, including rape in the third degree and residential burglary.

Most recently, he served time for possession of a stolen vehicle. He was released earlier this year.

Reporter Caleb Hutton contributed to this report.