Wash. Wildfire Suspect Allegedly Planned to Start Blaze Weeks in Advance: Police
The man suspected of starting the Old Trails wildfire in Spokane, Wash. confessed to plotting the fire weeks in advance, police say.Aaron F. Farinacci, who has been charged with first-degree arson in connection with the devastating wildfire, is accused of researching weather patterns and plotting to ignite the blaze on a day with low humidity and high winds, Spokane County Detective Michael Drapeau said in a court filing on Thursday, Aug. 6. The Old Trails fire is one of three fires currently burning through the Spokane County area.
Upon arrival, police found numerous items on Farinacci’s person that they said indicated he started the fire on purpose. Farinacci, 37, had a fanny pack containing “a pack of cigarettes, a butane lighter and a box of Gofire brand rain ready, heavy duty, waterproof matches,” per the filing.
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“The box of Gofire matches indicated that the box had 25 matches in a box, and the box currently contained 14 matches,” the court filing reads. “Farinacci said he bought the matches on ‘about Wednesday’ and he uses the matches to light his cigarette if the lighter goes out. Farinacci added that the matches were ‘wind proof.’ ”
Farinacci also allegedly researched the work of a serial arsonist, including how to make a “time delay device” using notebook paper, matches, a cigarette and a rubber band, the detective noted in the filing.
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Drapeau said that Farinacci “had a plan, if confronted, to pull a knife from his backpack and try to get the police to shoot him,” adding that he did enact this plan.
After initially denying his role in the fires, Farinacci allegedly later confessed to the arson, according to the filing.
Spokane wild fires.Mario Tama/Getty
The Old Trails Road Fire was reported on Saturday, August 1, around noon, near the intersection of N. Old Trails Road and W. Euclid Road, north of the City of Airway Heights in Spokane County.
Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels credited bystanders for alerting police to the accused arsonist after reporting seeing him bending down close to the grass during a press conference on Monday, Aug. 3.
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“This investigation began at the beginning of the fire on August 1st,” Nowels said. “Thankfully we had some very aware and alert citizens.”
During Monday’s press conference, Nowels said Farinacci had previously been convicted of manslaughter in Arizona.
Farinacci, then 21, fatally shot his father during a fight about washing dishes in Mesa, Ariz., before trying to kill himself in 2010, according to the Associated Press. He was charged with murder but later pleaded to a reduced charge of manslaughter. He was released from custody in 2020, per AP.
In a new press conference on Thursday, Aug. 6, Nowels urged the public to be “patient” with officials regarding evacuation updates as the fires continue to burn.
PEOPLE has reached out to Nowels and an attorney for Farinacci.
