205 W 5th Ave Ellensburg, WA 98926-2887
Monday - Friday 8 AM - 5 PM
Kittitas (pronounced 'KITT-i-tass') County is located in central Washington State. It spans from the lush forested Cascade Mountains to the upper Yakima River Valley plains and the Columbia River.
Kittitas County, WA - 06/20/2020 - Investigation identifies man who burned trailer and residence on Sunday 6/14
At 4:40 am on Sunday, 6/14, Kittitas County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to multiple reports of a structure fire on Red Bridge Rd near Cle Elum. When they arrived, they found a fifth wheel trailer and an adjacent manufactured home both fully ablaze. Both structures were confirmed unoccupied. Investigation by the County Fire Marshal determined the cause of the fire to be arson. Witness statements and other evidence collected indicated the fire was started by a man known to the homeowner, 58-year-old Antoine Runner of Seattle. On 6/19 at about 1:30 pm, Deputies received information that Runner was at a motel in Ellensburg. Together with Ellensburg Police Officers, Deputies coordinated the safe arrest of Runner for 1st Degree Arson. At the time of his arrest, a firearm and suspected methamphetamine and heroin were found in Runner’s possession. Runner was booked into the Kittitas County Correction Center on charges of Arson, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, and Possession of Controlled Substances. This investigation is one among several recent incidents that highlight the cooperative relationship of Law Enforcement and the Kittitas County community. We’re grateful to the witnesses and other people who continually work with us to confront serious crimes and threats to the safety of our community; our successes depend on you.
Kittitas County, from the Cascades to the Columbia, and online at http://www.co.kittitas.wa.us
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Contact: Chris Whitsett, 509-962-7525christopher.whitsett@co.kittitas.wa.us