UPDATE: Richard Parrish’s case was dismissed Jan. 9, 2019, in Washington County, Ore., Circuit Court, online court records show.
A Vancouver man was arrested Monday night in a Portland suburb for allegedly assaulting a woman and setting her apartment on fire.
Richard Parrish, 29, was arrested on charges of first-degree arson and fourth-degree assault, according to a Washington County Sheriff’s Office news release. Parrish was booked into the Oregon county’s jail.
Deputies and Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue responders were dispatched about 5:23 p.m. Nov. 14 for the report of an apartment fire at 18476 N.W. Chemeketa Lane, the Westridge Meadows apartments in Bethany, Ore.
The first deputies to get to the apartments found a woman and her mother outside, suffering from smoke inhalation. Both were taken to a hospital.
The woman’s dog also escaped the fire, but her parrot was killed, deputies said.
Flames heavily damaged the unit and two other units had water damage. Everyone else in the building was able to escape uninjured.
Detectives subsequently determined that the fire was set by Parrish, who was last seen “fleeing the scene right after the fire,” according to the sheriff’s office.
“Deputies also learned Mr. Parrish had assaulted the tenant two days earlier,” the news release says.
A warrant was issued for Parrish’s arrest and he was taken into custody Monday.
Additional charges are likely as the investigation continues, deputies said. Parrish’s bail has been set at $250,000.
