SEATTLE — A 34-year-old man with a lengthy criminal record from Florida is being held at the King County jail, accused of a one-day arson spree in North Seattle.
Preston Ellis faces charges of arson and reckless burning stemming from a series of arson fires in North Seattle on Tuesday.
One of the fires he’s accused of starting was at Jon Dalton’s Wallingford home.
The tool shed was torched, and the side of the home also burned, melting the plastic housing while propane tanks were inside.
Dalton was sleeping inside the home at the time and believes he may not be alive if not for a Good Samaritan who woke him up.
“Saved my life, saved my roommate’s life,” said Dalton. “I don’t even know his name to thank him.”
KIRO 7 has learned Ellis been in the Seattle area for less than a year and just got out of prison in Florida in March of 2017 after serving time for aggravated battery.
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Ellis has a lengthy rap sheet, which also includes convictions for aggravated assault, along with numerous drug offenses from Hernando County, Florida.
He was arrested yesterday at Green Lake after officials say he lit eight fires throughout North Seattle and prepped three more fires to burn.
Police identified Ellis because they say he was captured on a surveillance camera from a gas station setting one of the fires.
A witness also identified him.
Ellis waived his appearance in court Wednesday but King County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Elaine Lee asked for bail to be set at $250,000 dollars due to his criminal record and the seriousness of the fire at Dalton's home
“It was manifestly dangerous to any human life that were inside the home when the fire was burning,” Lee said.
Ellis' last known address is in Tukwila, but KIRO 7 learned he is homeless and just moved to town eight months ago.
KIRO 7 has asked police if they're looking into whether Ellis may be connected to two huge Queen Anne fires - one in a lumber yard and another at the Elk's Lodge. But Police say it's too early to say.
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