A Vancouver man said he broke out a window and started a fire at a deaf services center near his house “to get an adrenaline rush,” according to a probable cause affidavit filed Monday in Clark County Superior Court.
Justin Lee Smith-Riggs, 20, appeared Monday morning before Judge Bernard Veljacic on allegations of second-degree burglary, second-degree arson, second-degree malicious mischief and one count of obstruction. Veljacic set his bail at $75,000 and appointed attorney John Terry to represent him.
Smith-Riggs was arrested Saturday after an alarm went off at about 2:40 a.m. at Tilikum, otherwise known as the Southwest Washington Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, or SWCDHH, 301 S.E. Hearthwood Blvd., Vancouver.
The nonprofit serves people who are deaf, deaf-blind and hard of hearing.
As Officer Gunnar Skollingsberg walked toward the building, he heard a hammering sound coming from the east side. More police arrived and approached Smith-Riggs, who was actively breaking into the building while wearing a face mask, gloves and holding a hammer, according to the affidavit Skollingsberg wrote.
Smith-Riggs ran away and didn’t stop when police called after him, the affidavit said. Officers eventually detained him and removed a black airsoft pistol from his back pants pocket, along with an aloe vera bottle and a lighter from his inner jacket pocket, the affidavit said.
While police were searching him, Smith-Riggs said there was a fire and he was trying to put it out.
Lead Deputy Fire Marshal Chad Lawry said the fire was partially extinguished by a police officer before firefighters arrived. Saturday’s fire and vandalism caused a combined $11,500 damage.
After Skollingsberg read Smith-Riggs his Miranda warning, he told the officer that the aloe vera bottle contained gasoline, which he said he got from his grandparents house nearby, the affidavit said. Smith-Riggs lives with his grandparents about a half mile from Tilikum.
According to the affidavit, Smith-Riggs said “he broke out a door window, squirted gasoline and lit a small fire inside the building to get an adrenaline rush.”
From outside the building he threw curtains, papers and a binder on the fire, the affidavit said. He then tried to break out a second window to get inside and put the fire out.
That’s when Smith-Riggs saw people shining lights at him and yelling at him to “freeze” and “drop the weapon.” He said he didn’t know they were police officers, the affidavit said.
Smith-Riggs’ arraignment is set for Friday. Terry tried to argue for a lower bail amount, noting that Smith-Riggs does not have any criminal history. Court documents noted that he has mental health issues.
Tilikum was vandalized about two weeks ago. In earlier incidents, vandals wrote graffiti on the building’s windows on May 6; on Aug. 24, two young boys threw rocks at the building, breaking a window.
On its website, the nonprofit said it’s seeking donations to help cover the cost of replacing windows, doors, security items, computer monitors and a desk chair that weren’t covered by insurance.
The agency provides free services to a community of deaf, deaf-blind and hard of hearing people living in Clark, Cowlitz, Pacific, Skamania, Thurston and Yakima counties, as well as the Tri-Cities area.
The agency’s leadership, board of directors and operational staff are deaf. For more information visit www.tilikum.agency.
