Alleged arsonist arraigned

Jana Mathia, Whitman County Gazette | Nov 26, 20200

ROSALIA— A local man was arraigned Friday, Nov. 20, in Whitman County Superior Court following his arrest for allegedly attempting to burn down the Community Baptist Church.

Samuel Jack Edgar Owens, 45, of Rosalia, remains in the Whitman County Jail on a $750,000 bond. He made his first court appearance and was charged Nov. 17 with first-degree arson.

On Monday, Nov. 16, deputies were called to Community Baptist Church, 818 N. Whitman Ave., for a man threatening to burn down the church, Whitman County Sheriff Brett J. Myers said.

A witness told deputies that the man was aggressive and irrational, Myers said.

The witness also reportedly watched the man pour suspected gasoline from a fuel container on to a door and porch at the church.

Arriving deputies located the suspect, later identified as Owens, attempting to break into one of the church doors, the sheriff said. He was allegedly in the process of hitting a door with his shoulder when law enforcement arrived.

A red gas can, cap and gasoline were discovered at the church when deputies, according to court documents.

He was allegedly in the process of hitting a door with his shoulder when law enforcement arrived.

Owens was talking to himself and not making sense when law enforcement arrived, court documents said, noting he was allegedly uncooperative during the arrest and booking processes.

He was initially arrested Nov. 16 on three charges — first-degree arson, third-degree malicious mischief and second-degree criminal trespass.