Police arrested a 55-year-old suspect after he set fire to several cars in the 2500 block of 24 Ave W Monday night.
Officers arrived on a family disturbance just after 8:30 PM to find the suspect in the street holding a large object and pouring liquid on a truck. The suspect saw the officers and then proceeded to light the liquid on fire and continued pouring liquid on the flames until it turned into a large blaze. The suspect then threw the object at the an officer. The fire grew catching three other vehicles on fire including an SPD patrol vehicle.
Officers used their in-car fire extinguishers to put out most of the flames. Officers pursued as the suspect ran from the scene but they were unable to catch him.
An employee from BNSF Railway observed a male matching the description running across the train tracks toward the golf course and called 911 to report it. With this information, officers contained both sides of the thicket of blackberry bushes leading up to the golf course. Officers called into the bushes until finally they got a reply and they were able to convince the suspect to give himself up and get himself out of the bushes.
Seattle Fire Department treated the suspect for minor scrapes across a large portion of his body, made worse because he regretfully had removed his shirt.
The suspect was booked into King County Jail for arson and assault.