SNOHOMISH — When James White’s neighbors didn’t answer their door he allegedly tried to set the couple’s trailer on fire, prosecutors say in new court papers.
The July 18 incident was caught on videotape and shows White knocking, lighting a rolled up newspaper on fire and dropping it outside his neighbors’ door. The husband, who was in the backyard, smelled smoke and discovered the burning newspaper. He used a hose to extinguish the flames.
A deputy “observed that had the fire not been discovered in time, the entire wood deck in front of the trailer would have been ablaze and the fire would have destroyed (the victims’) trailer and endangered the other surrounding mobile homes,” Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Edirin Okoloko wrote.
The prosecutor has charged White with second-degree arson, a felony. At the time of his arrest, White, 44, was under the supervision of the state Department of Corrections for a recent assault conviction. He has extensive criminal history, including 40 misdemeanor convictions dating back to 1987.
Witnesses at the Snohomish mobile home park told police that White had been on a four-day methamphetamine bender.
White’s neighbor confronted him about the fire. The man told police White made some nonsensical statements, pushed him and walked off. He barricaded himself in a shed behind his trailer.
White allegedly told deputies that he had a bomb when they approached the shed. Deputies could see that he was holding a large Japanese-style sword.
White’s mother told police her son didn’t have a bomb in the shed. She said he’d been using meth.
Deputies ordered White out of the shed. He reportedly yelled that he wasn’t coming out until he’d done all his drugs and drank all his alcohol.
Hostage negotiators and a police dog responded to the mobile home park. White refused to come out and continued to brandish the sword, Okoloko wrote.
A deputy fired a rubber bullet at White, hitting him in the chest. He dropped the sword but continued to resist. A police dog was sent into the shed and bit White’s leg.
Deputies followed and subdued White. He was taken the a hospital to be treated for the bite before being booked into jail.
Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463; hefley@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @dianahefley.
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