King County Prosecutors have formally charged Kevin Todd Swalwell with 11 counts of arson and one burglary in the Greenwood arson spree. The 46-year-old homeless man is being held on $1 million bail. Charging documents state that the standard sentencing range would be nine to 12 years, but due to aggravating factors, prosecutors intend to seek more than 30 years in prison.
According to the charging documents (our content partner, the Seattle Times, has the charging documents pdf here), Swalwell is charged with first degree arson for the following fires:
- The house fire at 108 NW 84th St. on Aug. 13. That fire seriously burned one man and displaced another family.
- Setting fire to the Green Bean Coffeehouse, 208 NW 85th St., Oct. 23. Three other businesses were destroyed and several others seriously damaged.
- The massive blaze at NW Discount in Shoreline on Nov.12
Swalwell is charged with second degree arson for the following fires:
- The former OK Corral restaurant at 8733 Greenwood Ave. N. on June 19.
- Behind a building housing Moonphoto and Wish at 7708 Greenwood Ave. N. on Aug. 12.
- A building housing O-Rings West at 1111 N. 98th St. on Aug. 13.
- CPA Seattle at 338 NW 85th St. on Nov. 5.
- Rosewood Guitar at 8401 Greenwood Ave. N. on Nov. 5.
- Moonphoto at 7704 Greenwood Ave. N. on Nov. 8.
- Olive You at 8516 Greenwood Ave. N. on Nov. 9.
- Greenwood Quickstop at 8102 Greenwood Ave. N. on Nov. 9.
And he was charged with second degree burglary at the Green Bean Coffeehouse, 208 NW 85th St., on Oct. 23, just prior to committing that arson.
According to charging documents, Swalwell admitted to the Aug. 13 fire that seriously injured Carlos Salmeron. (The Seattle Times profiled Salmeron’s recovery last Sunday.)
Swalwell admitted to starting this fire by entering the fenced area at the back of the house, spraying lighter fluid on a corner area of the house, and igniting it. Swalwell said he tried to wipe his prints off of the lighter fluid container. He then advised that he disposed of the lighter fluid container in a nearby garbage bin at a white house located on a side street.
As to the Oct. 23 fire that destroyed the Green Bean Coffeehouse, Pho Tic Tac, Szechuan Bistro and C.C. Teriyaki:
Swalwell admitted to starting this fire. He explained that he entered the Green Bean business by breaking a window at the rear and climbing in, entering the office, and stealing the safe and attached filing cabinet after removing the drawers from the cabinet. He stated that the safe and attached filing cabinet was placed into a large, green, wheeled recycling bin, covered with cardboard, and wheeled from the scene. Swalwell then started the fire in the office by igniting cardboard and paper inside…Further, Swalwell directed police detectives to the area where he had abandoned the safe. The detectives responded to that location and recovered the safe, which had been pried open, along with a green recycling bin and wet cardboard. A long metal pipe apparently used to break open the safe was likewise recovered.
In requesting the $1 million bail, prosecutors state:
The defendant here engaged in a several months long arson campaign directed primarily at the Greenwood neighborhood of Seattle. His actions seriously injured one man, endangered the safety of countless bystanders and neighbors, and terrorized an entire community, in addition to causing millions of dollars in damage and disrupting small business owners’ livelihoods…He manifestly presents an ongoing danger to the community if released from custody.
43 responses so far ↓
1 NSBill // Nov 17, 2009 at 1:55 pm
Seems like some charge could also be filed for the threatening phonecall made to the Olive You owner since he’s also being charged with the Olive You fires.
2 Iron City Mike // Nov 17, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Time to fire up ol’ sparky!
3 RH // Nov 17, 2009 at 2:40 pm
@2: You, sir, have frighteningly low standards for sentencing people to death.
4 Iron City Mike // Nov 17, 2009 at 2:43 pm
One of the charges mentiones 84th avenue, not 84th street - hopefully will not be let go on a technicality!
5 SPG // Nov 17, 2009 at 2:49 pm
Anyone know how Carlos Salmeron is doing?
6 59thandblake // Nov 17, 2009 at 2:58 pm
This A-hole needs life in prision.
7 Tutu // Nov 17, 2009 at 3:45 pm
@5: Found this article interviewing Carlos: http://greenwoodphinney.komonews.com/content/arson-victim-recalls-his-escape
8 Doree // Nov 17, 2009 at 4:02 pm
SPG - The Seattle Times profiled Carlos Salmeron just a few days ago. I just added the link to the story. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010276989_burnvictim15m.html
9 Burned // Nov 17, 2009 at 4:22 pm
Do we not have a “3-strikes” law in Washington?
This guy needs to be put away for life. He had his chance at rehabilitation the last time he was in prison for 10 years for arson. Fail.
Really, if you think about it, what’s the point of our tax dollars paying to give this guy food and shelter for the next 35 years? Deport him to Afghanistan or someplace equally as pleasant.
10 Jon // Nov 17, 2009 at 4:52 pm
Don’t waste our tax dollars keeping this guy alive and in prison. Sparky costs too much to fire up, as well.
I say, he should give back to the community by being fed to the lions at Woodland Park Zoo.
Just an idea on going green with a death sentence. It’s the Greenwood Way.
11 Alysse // Nov 17, 2009 at 5:20 pm
Not that I advocate this, but where I was born before the Iron Curtain fell, crimes like these were met with sentences of very hard labor, hard enough to remove many years from a life.
I don’t understand the three strike thing, but wouldn’t each arson he committed have a sentence of nine to twelve years to be served in serial manner? 14 x 12 = 168 years. It doesn’t make sense he would get to serve the sentences in parallel.
My husband mentioned maybe he will not be found guilty or maybe he will plea to reduced charges. Or maybe he is insane and can not be tried? Then I also remember that unlike where I was born, in this country there is a presumption of innocence in front of the court.
12 HL // Nov 17, 2009 at 6:22 pm
He confessed to these arsons, Alysse. He’s guilty as charged.
13 tw78 // Nov 17, 2009 at 6:36 pm
@1 it is possible the call was not from the arsonist - it could have just been some fairly nasty person taking advantage of the situation. Not unheard of, sadly.
14 Monty Piethong // Nov 17, 2009 at 7:17 pm
I wonder if he broke into the Greenwood Senior Center and burglarized the office. No fire that time.
15 darnative // Nov 17, 2009 at 8:11 pm
I’m curious what happened with this guy upon prison release the last time….Did we just say bye, bye and please don’t set any fires anymore? If that is what we did and did not offer this guy any in-depth counseling and perhaps some guidance for vocational opportunities than I say we failed and need to better next time.
16 darnative // Nov 17, 2009 at 8:18 pm
because there will be a next time if we don’t fix our failing system of offering no help to people on the fringes of society….
17 Idle Activist // Nov 17, 2009 at 8:59 pm
”
because there will be a next time if we don’t fix our failing system of offering no help to people on the fringes of society….”
oh that’s right, it’s our fault he was criminally minded. All he need was a hug and a check and all would have been spiffy.
18 Whopper // Nov 17, 2009 at 9:05 pm
Darnative, what if, like many criminally minded people, he’d refused treatment? refused to take his meds? Would you favor involuntary lockup and a return to institutionalizing the insane?
19 deecee // Nov 17, 2009 at 9:23 pm
I wonder if he might not be the guy in the security cam shots myballard.com posted last September after a fire in Zestos parking lot? http://www.myballard.com/2009/09/07/man-torches-dumpster-near-apartments/
20 TomK // Nov 17, 2009 at 9:24 pm
@Iron City Mike. The prosecutor making a typo on the address isn’t enough for him to be “let go on a technicality.” They can just file an “amended information” if need be. Happens all the time. (I work in the Superior Court Clerk’s office and look at these kind of documents every day as part of my job).
They’ve added exceptional sentencing enhancements to each charge, so it looks like they’re going for the maximum amount of prison possible. Hopefully he’ll not be getting out of there in this lifetime!
21 Briana // Nov 17, 2009 at 10:07 pm
I am impressed with the wisdom in the responses on this page, and people’s helping one another to finish their thoughts. I am proud to be your neighbors, folks. We keep each other sane when insanity strikes.
I sure hope that everyone’s needs for safety are now met, and that there really is only one arsonist for all of the damage done. If there is another at work, let the truth please be found out, instead of pinning it all on one person. If it really was all Swalwell, then our safety is now at normal levels.
I hope that our energy can once again be conducted in constructive ways. This includes constructive thinking on how to make every system better across the board. How can I help ensure that the next generation of people with the same type of upbringing as Swalwell get to experience the joys of belonging, community, rewarding work, and contribution …before the age at which people give up on them?
22 Penny // Nov 18, 2009 at 6:53 am
Can the library open their after hours drop box now?
23 Whopper // Nov 18, 2009 at 7:24 am
“Swalwell get to experience the joys of belonging, community, rewarding work, and contribution”
He will get all that…in jail.
24 Whopper // Nov 18, 2009 at 8:08 am
“if we don’t fix our failing system of offering no help to people on the fringes of society”
Swalwell WAS offered help. In fact, he failed to comply with court-ordered mental health treatment program.
Stop spreading the lie that this man was somehow abused by society and not offered help. He was and he refused.
25 Jeremy // Nov 18, 2009 at 8:32 am
I understand he frequented the Bean and am confident he was loved just as much as any other patron. They put their arms around those on the fringes ALL the time.
Unfortunately, I think he’s just a little ill because I can’t believe that the arson was done in reaction to being poorly treated. He clearly just likes to see destruction as a result of something he’s done. Hopefully that won’t be an option for a long while.
26 squeakywheel // Nov 18, 2009 at 9:27 am
I wonder if he will get time off for good behavior for setting fire to the OK Corral?
The Three Strikes law only applies to violent crimes against people, which one of the fires may qualify for since a man was injured.
Three Strikes laws are proving to be an expensive albatross around the public’s neck when they are forced to care for someone no longer a threat to them, but with very expensive health problems. It feels good at first, but doesn’t make sense later when you have to pay for it.
I would rather put money into youth prevention programs than keeping old criminals in good health.
27 Monty Piethong // Nov 18, 2009 at 9:45 am
For someone like Kevin, being in jail is normal and I’d guess he’s uncomfortable on the outside. He’s heading for retirement living now.
28 dani // Nov 18, 2009 at 10:22 am
9 to 12 years is the typical sentence for this crime! Your kidding right? A man has burns over 70% of his body. His life as he knew it has been taken away. The arsonist has been in prison twice before for the same crimes each time with greater destruction to property and human life. I feel disgusted with people who think that someone who started committing this same disturbing crime in his early 20’s should or could be rehabilitated. Figure out who is worth saving, rehabilitate them and lock the rest up and toss the key!
29 mike // Nov 18, 2009 at 10:32 am
@28 i’m with you! however, i think that paying to keep him fed and in good health for the rest of his life is a waste of my tax money! one $.50 round to the back of the head would solve quite a few problems.
30 Flikster // Nov 18, 2009 at 11:12 am
@squeakywheel: “I wonder if he will get time off for good behavior for setting fire to the OK Corral?”
What a dickish thing to say. What if he had burned your business?
dick.
31 Chris // Nov 18, 2009 at 12:50 pm
There is an article in the PI today about Swalwells confessions. They also state that arson is considered a strike.
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/412402_arson18.html
32 squeakywheel // Nov 18, 2009 at 3:33 pm
Flickster, go somewhere else if you want to flame people with your anonymous macho potty mouth. That or go eat at the OK Corral. You deserve it. You, you, female sex organ!
33 Greenwood Guy // Nov 18, 2009 at 7:16 pm
Sorry to seem insensitive, but that guy doesn’t belong in jail for 30 years. He needs serious help.
I should add that Scott Nolte (Taproot) attends the same church as I do and we were both at last year’s “Men’s Retreat,” so I’m very sensitive to all parties who were affected by his arson spree.
Now, if this guy lit fires and had no regard for people’s lives - I might change my stance. We’d have to prove that though.
34 Whopper // Nov 18, 2009 at 7:43 pm
“that guy doesn’t belong in jail for 30 years”
Let him stay at your place then, just keep him away from the matches.
35 Whopper // Nov 18, 2009 at 7:54 pm
“Now, if this guy lit fires and had no regard for people’s lives - I might change my stance. We’d have to prove that though.”
Errrrrrr……. what about the lives of firemen or don’t they count?
36 Monty Piethong // Nov 19, 2009 at 4:57 am
“Now, if this guy lit fires and had no regard for people’s lives - I might change my stance. We’d have to prove that though.”
That has been proven already.
37 82nd // Nov 19, 2009 at 6:32 am
I agree with Whopper. Let’s have Greenwood Guy apply his “sensitive” methods. Hey invite the arsonist to your “Men’s Retreat” and you can all talk about sensitive things with him. I am sure that all he needs is a little sensitivity to see the error of his ways.
38 Whopper // Nov 19, 2009 at 7:16 am
” Hey invite the arsonist to your “Men’s Retreat” and you can all talk about sensitive things with him”
he’ll love the camp fires…..
39 Greenwood Guy // Nov 19, 2009 at 10:17 am
Whopper and 82nd - you both are hilarious. I love the analogies. You would want him to be on my street though 82nd, because I’m also on 82nd. =)
Anyway, just trying to have a discussion. Does he really belong locked up indefinitely? I’d rather see him in a locked Mental Health facility than simply put in jail.
Thoughts?
40 Whopper // Nov 19, 2009 at 10:50 am
” Does he really belong locked up indefinitely? ”
Yes.
41 Finn Knee // Nov 19, 2009 at 11:27 am
The prison lifestyle suits him fine. He can’t function in the real world and he’s done enough damage to the community.
There are dozens of these folks in the area. Fortunately, they are not trying to burn the town down.
42 Qwerty // Nov 19, 2009 at 12:12 pm
>>Does he really belong locked up indefinitely?
YES. Are you nuts to ask that question???
>>I’d rather see him in a locked Mental Health facility than simply put in jail.
WHY? Just what do you think happens in a “locked Mental Health facility”??
43 jm // Nov 20, 2009 at 5:58 pm
We walked by that Roosevelt Building location today and it really looks bad. I’d guess it will be a fenced off hole in the ground for ages.
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