EVERETT—A 35-year-old man was arrested on first-degree arson charges after he drove a white van into the parking lot of the Everett Police Department’s South Precinct, exited the vehicle and intentionally set it on fire, causing an explosion that authorities said endangered officers and the public, Everett Police announced Wednesday.
The incident occurred about 9:15 p.m. Tuesday, May 5, at the precinct located at 1121 SE Everett Mall Way. Officers in the area heard an explosion and saw the van engulfed in flames shortly after the driver parked and stepped out, according to an Everett police news release.
The suspect, identified as Taras Boiko of Everett, immediately surrendered and was taken into custody without incident. Everett firefighters responded and extinguished the blaze. No injuries were reported.
Investigators determined Boiko set the fire inside his sealed Ford Transit van, which he had registered to himself. Court documents cited a strong odor of fuel or accelerant on the man and more than 10 empty plastic bottles found inside the vehicle. Police said the explosion resulted from the fire building pressure inside the van and rupturing its seals, not from any explosive device.
Boiko was booked into the Snohomish County Jail on suspicion of first-degree arson. A judge found probable cause to hold him following a hearing Wednesday. He appeared on an attended safety watch and did not personally attend the hearing.
The precinct’s parking lot was occupied at the time, and Everett Police said the fire and explosion posed a significant risk to nearby officers and the public.
Author: Mario Lotmore
