Man Suspected of Arson Spotted Before Fire in Spokane

Paul Child and his grandson were driving about half a mile from their home near Spokane, Washington, when they noticed a man standing in the tall grass and trees near a railroad track. This man seemed nervous as Mr. Child’s car approached.

When the duo reached home, Mr. Child heard his daughter shouting from the backyard. She had spotted smoke rising nearby.

“I ran out the door,” said Mr. Child, 64. He suspected that the same man they had seen was responsible for starting the fire.

Witnesses and Response

Video showed Mr. Child recalling how he had observed a man kneeling in the grass near his house just before the fire started.

The family quickly called 911 and prepared to evacuate. Meanwhile, Mr. Child went down the road to alert his neighbors. Within 20 minutes, firefighters and a police officer reached the scene, facing a rapidly spreading fire.

Detainment and Confirmation

Authorities later detained a man named Aaron F. Farinacci. Mr. Child was asked to identify the suspect. He confirmed that Mr. Farinacci was indeed the man he had seen earlier.