KITSAP COUNTY, Wash. — A 32-year-old woman from Kitsap County is facing charges of arson and domestic violence. Officials said that Sydney Coles intentionally set her ex-boyfriend’s house on fire on the morning of August 6. The fire not only completely destroyed Brian Kaes’ home, but killed his dog, Ocean.
“It’s horrifying,” Kaes said.
Court documents allege that Coles and another man came to the house and Coles began vandalizing the home and cars outside.
“She vandalized the whole inside of the house, smashed out a bunch of the windows,” Kaes said.
The man later told investigators and Kaes that Coles started pouring gasoline on herself and Ocean.
“He said he heard the dogs crying and he said he walked inside and saw her holding Ocean and she had the needle holding the dog and injecting her,” Kaes said.
Documents allege that Coles injected the dog with chemicals. The man who was there said he grabbed the other dog, Max, and ran off. Documents said Coles threatened the man and told him he had 15 minutes to leave before she was going to light the home on fire. Kaes arrived home that morning to total destruction.
“I was yelling trying to find Max where the dog is and that’s when they took her out of the bushes and took her out on a stretcher and she was covered in gas and paint and she had spray painted my car and my truck,” he said.
Kaes has since been reunited with Max. He credits the man for saving him.
“He saved Max’s life but he said he wasn’t able to get Ocean because she was in the middle of the house and she started throwing gas everywhere,” he said.
Kaes told us that it’s going to cost at least $25,000 just to clear the rubble and debris off his property. The home had been in Kaes’ family for more than 60 years.
“All of it’s a total loss, the roof is gone and I lost every single thing I’ve ever owned, everything I kept since I was a child,” he said.
Coles has been charged with arson and domestic violence.
“I really want justice for Ocean and it’s just so sickening to do that to a loveable, cuddly dog,” Kaes said.
He does have a GoFundMe set up to help pay for the damages. If you’d like to help go here.