Suspect arrested in Seattle restaurant arsonsSuspect arrested in Seattle restaurant arsons

Alan J. Liddle

SEATTLE Police have arrested a man they suspect of starting some if not all of 14 arson fires that have plagued a section of Seattle since June, and caused, among other losses, the destruction of a coffee bar and three restaurants.

Kevin Todd Swalwell, 46, of Seattle, was arrested Friday and booked into King County jail for investigation of arson, officials of an arson task force said during a Friday press conference. The task force looking into fires dating back to June 19 – all but one in the city’s Greenwood neighborhood – involves the Seattle police and fire departments and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The most costly of the arson incidences occurred Oct. 23 when a blaze at the Green Bean Coffee House spread to three nearby restaurants – Szechuan Bistro, C.C. Teriyaki and Pho Tic Tac – destroying all four businesses and causing $2 million in damage, fire department officials said.

Another blaze during the early morning hours of Nov. 9 outside Olive You, a Mediterranean foods restaurant and take-out operation, caused an estimated $20,000 in damage, they noted.

Washington Department of Corrections records indicate Swalwell, among other convictions, was convicted of multiple arson offenses and imprisoned twice between 1983 and 2002.

“This is great news for everyone concerned. I’m confident that the community will be able to rest easier now,” Seattle Police chief John Diaz said.

Task force members noted that the investigation will remain open and ongoing, with arson patrols continuing, until detectives are confident the cases have been properly resolved. Officials at the press conference also asked city residents to remain vigilant against arsonists.

Police said Swalwell’s arrest stemmed from eyewitness accounts, forensic evidence and his own statements to investigators.

Contact Alan Liddle at [email protected].