SPOKANE, Wash., Aug. 5 (Our Washington Times) — Aaron F. Farinacci, 37, of Spokane, was arrested Monday and booked in Spokane County on suspicion of first-degree arson in connection with the Old Trails Fire, the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office said. He appeared in Spokane County court, where bond was set at $1 million, according to court and law enforcement accounts.
The charge is an accusation, not a finding of guilt. Farinacci denied setting the fire during questioning, according to an affidavit cited in the case coverage. The supplied records do not identify his defense lawyer.
What authorities allege
The sheriff’s office said its Major Crimes detectives and Washington State Department of Natural Resources fire investigators developed probable cause and obtained arrest and search warrants before Farinacci was taken into custody.
Sheriff John Nowels said investigators believe the Old Trails Fire was intentionally started with matches or a lighter. Authorities said Farinacci had waterproof matches and a butane lighter when he was detained or arrested.
Nowels also said a witness saw a man near the point where the Old Trails Fire began. The sheriff said investigators determined that the reported location matched the fire’s origin. The witness was not identified in the available records.
Authorities have not publicly provided a motive. They also have not alleged that Farinacci started the Autumn Lane or Fairview fires, two other fires burning in the Spokane area.
How severe were the fires?
The Old Trails, Autumn Lane and Fairview fires were identified in reports as part of the Spokane Complex Fire. Officials said the fires destroyed at least 700 buildings or other structures and led to evacuation orders affecting roughly 64,000 to 67,000 people. The totals varied as damage assessments and evacuation figures changed.
The available accounts did not report deaths or injuries from the fires. They also did not establish that all of the destruction was connected to the Old Trails Fire or to the arson allegation against Farinacci.
What does Farinacci’s earlier criminal record show?
Arizona court records show that Farinacci was initially charged with first-degree murder and aggravated assault after a 2010 fatal shooting involving his father in Mesa, Arizona.
In 2012, he pleaded guilty to reduced charges of manslaughter and aggravated assault. He was released from prison in 2020, according to court records cited in the reports.
That history explains why the earlier murder charge appears in accounts of the Washington case, but it does not mean Farinacci was convicted of first-degree murder. His Arizona case ended with the manslaughter and aggravated-assault pleas.
The available material also says court documents show Farinacci was questioned by law enforcement about two fires the previous year. He was not charged in either case. The documents provided do not identify the fires, the investigating agencies or the case numbers.
What happens next?
The Spokane County arson case will proceed through the court system. Prosecutors must prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt if the case goes to trial. Farinacci is presumed innocent unless he is convicted.
The available records do not include the full Washington charging document, the case number, the assigned judge or a hearing transcript. They also do not show whether prosecutors have filed additional charges or whether investigators have connected anyone to the Autumn Lane or Fairview fires.
