By Martín Bilbao
The Olympian (Olympia, Wash.)
THURSTON COUNTY, Wash. — A Thurston County resident allegedly set fire to his own home as deputies attempted to evict him Wednesday morning.
The incident occurred at about 9 a.m. at a duplex in the 4800 block of Carpenter Road Southeast near Lacey, according to a news release from the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office.
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The 56-year-old resident allegedly refused to exit his home when the Sheriff’s Office Civil Unit attempted to “conduct a court-ordered eviction,” the release states. After negotiating with deputies, the resident reportedly released his dog. A fire then broke out inside the home, while the adjacent duplex was still occupied.
“The tenant refused to exit despite nearly two hours of hailing and attempting to negotiate,” Sheriff Derek Sanders said in his own Facebook post. “Suddenly, flames could be seen from the couch in the living room and the residence went up in flames.”
Sanders said deputies evacuated the people in the adjacent duplex unit and developed probable cause to arrest the resident for first-degree arson.
Joint Animal Services reportedly took custody of the dog and negotiations continued. The resident eventually exited the home while holding a hatchet, the release states.
Deputies used “less-lethal tools” on the resident when he exited the burning home, according to the release. Sanders said deputies shot at him with multiple 40 mm “less lethal” rounds and later a taser.
Sanders also shared deputy body camera footage from the scene. The video shows deputies follow the resident toward the back of the home and continue negotiations from a distance. A deputy can be heard urging the resident to surrender.
“We can help you out,” a deputy says. “It’s not over.”
A deputy tased the resident, but he used the hatchet to cut the taser wires, according to the video and Sanders’ post. The resident can then be seen walking toward the street and is tased a second time.
The video shows deputies attempt to handcuff the resident near the burning home before dragging him toward the street. Sanders said deputies dragged him away because the flames from the home were too hot.
The resident appeared to have an injury to his right arm. Deputies believe he sustained the injury after being shot by the “less lethal” rounds, Sanders said.
Lacey Fire District 3 responded to the duplex when the fire broke out, according to a LFD3 Facebook post. Firefighters reportedly provided medical care for the resident, searched the structure and extinguished the fire after deputies secured the scene.
First responders transported the resident to an area hospital to be evaluated, per the Sheriff’s Office release.
Deputies later booked the resident into the county jail on suspicion of first-degree arson, first-degree malicious mischief and obstructing a law enforcement officer, according to the jail log.
In his post, Sanders said the resident previously received numerous notifications throughout the eviction process, including a final notice to exit by Wednesday.
The landlord alleged the resident damaged his duplex unit, including by taking “edged weapons” to the walls, and neighbors accused the resident of abusive behavior, including screaming racial slurs, Sanders’ post said.
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