Man accused of arson arrested after weekend fires

Police arrested a man accused of starting three fires in downtown Spokane on Saturday and another who damaged a business in May.

Chad “Misty” Horne, 36, was arrested on suspicion of second-degree arson and second-degree reckless burning.

The arrests were linked to three fires set between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday. Two of the fires occurred in bushes and caused minimal damage, and one involved a portable toilet burned from the inside out, according to court records.

Firefighters put out all the fires and suspected they were related and likely arson, according to a police news release.

Horne was located after an acquaintance from Hope House saw him starting the last of the fires near Walnut Street and First Avenue, near the Spokane Fire Department's Station 4, according to court documents . The acquaintance alerted staff at Hope House, who reported the incident to the police.

Hope House staff had known Horne for several years and identified him as the cause of a business fire last May when they were shown surveillance footage of the crime, according to court records.

The May fire left dog groomer Lil Bit of Grooming, 1028 W. Shannon Ave., with extensive external damage, but at the time there were no suspects despite the author's video made public.

Witness accounts along with CCTV footage were enough to establish probable cause for Horne's arrest, with court documents citing his appearance and various unique clothing items as supporting evidence.

Horne remained in the Spokane County Jail Monday evening. Bail was set at $100,000.