Suspect in Portage Bay marina arson that destroyed 58 boats makes court appearance

SEATTLE — A man accused of committing arson on Seattle’s Portage Bay pleaded not guilty in court on Thursday.

Arthur Arakelov, 32, is accused of starting a fire at the Seattle Boat Company that destroyed 58 boats and caused more than $8.5 million of damage.

Arakelov’s bail was maintained at $100,000.

His trial is set to begin on May 25. He also has another court hearing in late April.

Seattle police say a man was found in a boat docked near the fire and was detained by Seattle police officers. The man was later identified by the Arson Bomb Squad as a suspect. That suspect is Arakelov.

Theodore Hastings, the attorney for Arakelov, provided the following statement to KIRO 7:

“When something as devastating and tragic as this fire occurs, the natural and understandable reaction is to try to make sense of the senseless, which often includes assigning blame. In this case we simply ask the community to avoid a rush to judgement. I’m confident when all the evidence comes out it will be clear Mr. Arakelov did not knowingly and maliciously set this fire, but rather was almost a victim of it himself. Both our hearts go out to everyone who was impacted.”

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