Paul Child observed a man near railroad tracks close to his home in Washington and later saw smoke rising about 10 minutes after the man was seen crouching in bushes. This prompted Child and his family to alert the police, leading to the identification of the suspect, Aaron Forrest Farinacci. Bodycam footage shows police evacuating Child's family and conducting a field showup where witnesses positively identified Farinacci as the individual they had seen before the fire started. The Old Trails Fire, which Farinacci is accused of igniting, has burned over 10,000 acres and damaged or destroyed more than 920 structures since August 1. Farinacci was initially released but was arrested two days later on multiple arson charges. Court documents allege he had been planning and setting fires in the area since 2025, using a time-delay device to start the fires.
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Witness Helps Police Identify Suspected Wildfire Arsonist
A Washington resident, Paul Child, helped police identify Aaron Forrest Farinacci as a suspected wildfire arsonist after witnessing suspicious behavior near railroad tracks. The Old Trails Fire, attributed to Farinacci, has caused significant damage since it began on August 1. Farinacci faces multiple arson charges and was arrested two days after the initial identification.
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- ✕ loaded language: 'destroys'
- ✕ loaded language: 'devastating'
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WATCH: Neighbor’s double take helped police identify accused wildfire arsonist as flames raced nearby
Witness Helps Police Identify Suspected Wildfire Arsonist