Downtown Kennewick Arson Suspect Has Possible Mental Issues

A 54-year-old man being held in connection with a recent fire behind a changing Kennewick nightclub could have potential mental issues, considering an unrelated criminal issue he's involved with.

Authorities say Scott G. Erdman will go to court October 24th for allegedly setting fire to stored chairs and tables behind the now defunct Crave nightclub Sept 1. He's currently being held on bond, and is accused of causing damage to the back of the club.  Erdman reportedly set fire to the furniture, which was extinguished by Kennewick fire units. The club is in the process of being turned into another venue.

Erdman was seen leaving the scene of the 5:30am fire, and he has an unrelated pending burglary case. In that issue, last December 23rd, he was accused of pulling the door off a trailer near 1302 South Date street. The occupant woke up and thought he saw smoke inside his trailer.

Turns out, Erdman had pulled the door off and sprayed the contents of a fire extinguisher inside, accounting for what the resident through was smoke. Erdman later told authorities after being arrested that a woman named Jody was being held there against her will, and he wanted to get her out. Authorities said nobody by that name lived there, and they didn't find any trace of such woman. The occupant of the trailer lived alone.

Police say at that time Erdman may have been having mental issues. Besides his October arson trial, he faces a court appearance in late September on the burglary issue.