Suspect Sets Fire Right Next to Franklin County Courthouse

Pasco Police and Franklin County Deputies are still investigating why a Kennewick suspect would set fire to a trash can, right next to one of the entrances to the Franklin County Courthouse.

Last Thursday night, around 10:41PM, an officer was alerted by a citizen nearby that one of the large trash bins near the entrance was blazing away. The officer grabbed a fire extinguisher from his patrol car, and was able to douse the flames before Pasco Fire arrived.

Then FCSO Deputies checked surveillance cameras, and were able to locate a suspect. 31-year-old Jose Luis Loera of Kennewick was found still wandering in the same parking lot area. After viewing the footage, they determined probable cause for him to be arrested for First Degree Arson.

The trash can was fairly close to a ballot drop box and mailbox, but they were not damaged in the fire.