By Emma Tucker, Graham Hurley, CNN
(CNN) — Paul Child was driving with his grandson in a rural and fielded area near Spokane, Washington, to a neighbor’s home Saturday when he says they spotted a man pacing on the side of the road who looked at them when they passed by.
Although it was peculiar enough to take notice, Child didn’t give it much thought. But just 15 minutes later, after picking up his grandson’s friend, the three were on their way back to Child’s home when he says they again saw the man in the same spot — but this time, he was bent over near the bushes and acting nervous.
It wasn’t until a few minutes after they returned home that Child says he put the pieces together. His daughter said there was a fire, and when Child ran outside, he says he saw a plume of smoke billowing from the same location where he saw the man.
Three days later, more than 10,000 acres have been engulfed, tens of thousands of people evacuated and hundreds of homes destroyed as three wildfires tear through the Spokane area. Child’s account of the man he saw helped law enforcement identify Aaron Farinacci, 37, as a suspect they say caused the Old Trails Fire, the first of the three fires tearing through eastern Washington to be detected, officials said.
Farinacci, a Spokane resident, was arrested and charged with first-degree arson on Tuesday. He appeared in Spokane County Superior Court via video link from jail as firefighters continue to battle the three wildfires that remain uncontained.
His bond was set at $1 million, and an arraignment was scheduled for Thursday. CNN has not been able to locate contact information for his attorney.
The origin of the Old Trails Fire was “indeed exactly where the witness had seen Mr. Farinacci kneeling in the grass,” said Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels.
The fire investigator “determined the cause of the fire was consistent with an open flame to vegetation such as would be expected by a lighter or a match,” the affidavit reads.
Here’s what we know about Farinacci — who pleaded guilty to the manslaughter and aggravated assault of his father, and was in prison until 2020 — and the investigation into the alleged arson:
Fire ignited by match or lighter, officials say
As soon as Child and his family saw smoke, his daughter called 911, while he went to notify his neighbors in the area, he said.
Around that time, Child waved down the fire department and a police officer coming up the road and gave them a description of the man, he said. In less than 30 minutes, Child says that police officer told him — while Child was evacuating with his family — law enforcement detained someone who matched the man’s description.
Child, his grandson and his grandson’s friend then went with authorities and confirmed the suspect was indeed the same man they saw earlier, he said.
Law enforcement had first reached Farinacci in the area, and he was detained and questioned, but later released, Nowels said.
“Farinacci denied starting the fire and denied being in the area of the fire,” and said he was walking on a route that he frequents almost daily, the affidavit filed in court says.
During the initial detention, Farinacci was found with waterproof matches and a butane lighter, the sheriff said. But deputies “were not aware of the total facts of the incident, including the point of origin or source of the fire,” the affidavit reads.
A fire investigator determined the fire was consistent with grass being ignited by a match or lighter, Nowels said. Investigators also said they used body-worn camera footage of investigators’ encounters with Farinacci to build their case and obtain an arrest warrant Monday.
Farinacci was arrested Monday “without incident” and detectives obtained a search warrant for his residence, the sheriff said.
The notion that one of the fires was allegedly set intentionally added to the devastation of fire victims.
“It takes a tragic situation and just makes it more heartbreaking,” Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson told CNN Monday night. “… To think that much of this damage could have been caused by an individual doing this on purpose.”
Child’s property was not affected by the fires, and he and his family have returned home, he said.
He was questioned about 2 previous fires after being imprisoned
It’s not the first time Farinacci has been questioned by law enforcement in connection to wildfires or accused of a crime.
Last summer, he was contacted by law enforcement about two other fires, including a “suspicious” blaze that began near his home, according to the probable cause affidavit. He was not arrested or charged for either one.
Farinacci also has a violent criminal history, court records show. In 2012, he was arrested in connection with the 2010 fatal shooting of his father during an argument about washing dishes, according to records from the state’s department of corrections and the Associated Press.
During that incident, Farinacci also shot himself, the AP reported.
Farinacci ultimately pleaded guilty to manslaughter and aggravated assault, court documents show. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison and was in prison until December 2020.
The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
CNN’s Karina Tsui, Holly Yan and Chris Boyette contributed to this report.
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