Bothell police arrested a suspect shortly after 7:00 a.m. on Thursday in connection with a fire that tore through the Fred Meyer near Thrasher's Corner earlier this month, finding the person inside a stolen vehicle during an operation that deployed K9 handlers and aerial drone units. The suspect was taken into custody on suspicion of first-degree arson, tied to a blaze that forced shoppers and employees to evacuate the store on August 4.
According to the Bothell Fire Department, the arrest capped an investigation coordinated by the Bothell Police Community Crime Reduction Team, the department's Investigations Unit, and its K9 and drone teams. The fire itself broke out inside the store near the garden center around 1:43 p.m. that day, according to Shoreline Area News, with patrons noticing flames and smoke before alerting staff and emergency responders.
The store sits at 21045 Bothell-Everett Highway, a major commercial anchor at the intersection of State Routes 527 and 524 in the Thrasher's Corner subarea, according to the City of Bothell. The location serves as a central retail hub for a stretch of northern King and Snohomish counties, making the closure keenly felt by nearby residents.
Multiple Fire Crews Rushed to the Scene
The size of the response reflected the scale of the blaze. Shoreline Area News reports that crews from the Shoreline Fire Department, Eastside Fire & Rescue, Kirkland Fire Department, and Seattle Fire Department all provided mutual aid to Bothell firefighters battling the flames.
No one was hurt. The store's automated fire alarm and sprinkler systems activated as designed, according to KIRO 7 News, allowing all employees and shoppers to evacuate safely. Water from the sprinklers pooled heavily near the garden center while smoke spread through the rest of the retail floor, the station reported.
Store Closure Drags On for Cleanup
City officials say the combination of widespread smoke damage and heavy sprinkler water near the garden center has kept the store closed for an extended period while crews assess the damage and complete cleanup, per the same KIRO 7 account. Extended closures of a major grocery anchor like this one tend to push shoppers toward nearby stores such as Safeway and QFC in the meantime.
Police have not released the suspect's identity, a motive, an estimate of monetary damage, or a court arraignment schedule. The investigation remains ongoing, and Bothell police say they will release additional information as it is gathered.
Not the Region's First Retail Arson Scare
The Bothell fire follows a pattern of commercial arson incidents at Snohomish County retail sites in recent years. My Everett News notes that in 2023, a driver rammed an entrance and set fire to his own vehicle inside an Everett Fred Meyer store, an incident that also triggered a multi-agency police and fire response.
What Comes Next Legally
Under Washington's RCW 9A.48.020, first-degree arson applies when someone knowingly and maliciously causes a fire in a building where people are present or under conditions manifestly dangerous to human life. The charge is a Class A felony in Washington, carrying a maximum potential sentence of life imprisonment and fines up to $50,000, according to FindLaw, though standard sentencing guidelines for first-time offenders without enhancements typically start between 21 and 27 months.
Legal analysts at Black & Askerov note that federal law enforcement could also assume jurisdiction over commercial arson cases under 18 U.S.C. § 844 when a fire affects a business tied to interstate commerce — a threshold major regional grocery chains like Fred Meyer typically meet. It remains unclear whether federal authorities will take any role in this case.
