Spokane Man Charged with First-Degree Arson in Old Trails Fire
Aaron Farinacci, 37, was arrested and charged with first-degree arson for the Old Trails Fire that ignited near Spokane, Washington, after witnesses identified him at the scene.
A Spokane resident, Aaron Farinacci, 37, was taken into custody on Tuesday and charged with first-degree arson for the Old Trails Fire, the first of three wildfires that have burned more than 10,000 acres and forced tens of thousands of evacuations in eastern Washington.
The investigation began after Paul Child, who was driving near the fire’s origin with his grandson, reported seeing a man kneeling near the roadside and later observed a plume of smoke from the same spot. Child provided a description to responding officers, who detained a suspect matching the description within 30 minutes.
Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels said the fire’s point of origin was exactly where Child saw the suspect and that investigators determined the blaze was consistent with an open flame, such as a lighter or match. During an initial detention, Farinacci was found carrying waterproof matches and a butane lighter, though he denied starting the fire and claimed he was on a routine walk.
Law enforcement used body-worn camera footage and an affidavit to obtain an arrest warrant, and Farinacci was arrested without incident on Monday. A search warrant was later executed at his residence. His bond was set at $1 million, and a court arraignment is scheduled for Thursday.
Governor Bob Ferguson said the alleged intentional ignition adds to the tragedy of the wildfires. Child’s property was not damaged, and he and his family have returned home. Farinacci has a prior violent criminal record, including a 2012 conviction for manslaughter and aggravated assault related to the 2010 shooting of his father, for which he served 12 years in prison until 2020. He was previously questioned in connection with two other fires last summer but was not charged.