A 35-year-old man was booked for first-degree arson after a van burned near the Everett police precinct.
EVERETT, Wash. — A 35-year-old man was arrested after police said he set a fire inside a sealed van, causing it to explode about 50 feet from the Everett Police Department South Precinct.
The incident happened around 9:15 p.m. Tuesday after a white van was driven into the precinct parking lot at 1121 SE Everett Mall Way, according to the Everett Police Department.
Police said the person set the fire inside the van using accelerants, then closed all the doors and windows. Pressure built up inside the van before it exploded, according to police.
Officers nearby heard the explosion, and the van was then engulfed in flames. The driver had gotten out of the van and was taken into custody.
The Everett Fire Department responded and helped put out the fire.
After an initial investigation, the driver was booked into the Snohomish County Jail for first-degree arson.
Police said the motive remains unknown. The investigation is ongoing, and police said no other details were available.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Everett Police Department tip line at 425-257-8450 or Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound at 1-800-222-TIPS.
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