A 40 year old Pullman man was arrested following an armed standoff Sunday night after he allegedly started a large fire at his apartment building with an explosive device.
The blaze at an apartment building in the 100 block of Larry Street on Military Hill broke out around 5:30 Sunday afternoon. No on was hurt but 8 apartments were quickly damaged by the flames. The fire was extinguished by the City of Pullman Fire Department with assistance from Volunteers with the City of Moscow Fire Department and Whitman County Fire District 12 based in Pullman. The adjacent apartment building was evacuated as the Spokane Bomb Squad was called in to investigate. About 20 apartments were evacuated and the Red Cross set up a shelter Sunday night at Pullman City Hall to help for the displaced residents.
Pullman Police identified Elijah Reagan as the suspect who they believe intentionally set the fire with an explosion inside his apartment. Around 8:00 Sunday night he was located driving on State Route 194 outside of town. Reagan reportedly failed to stop for police and led officers on a car chase. Just after 8:30 while he was talking with a Pullman Police negotiator Reagan agreed to pull over near the Idaho state line South of Uniontown on U.S. Highway 195.
The Whitman County Regional SWAT Team and many other local law enforcement agencies responded to the standoff. Around 11:30 Reagan surrendered and was arrested for 1st degree arson and attempting to elude police. He reportedly fired a round from a shotgun by accident shortly before he surrendered. No one was hurt. The standoff shut down U.S. Highways 195 and 95 in both Idaho and Washington near the state line. The highways were back open by 1:00 early Monday morning. Reagan was transported to the Nez Perce County Sheriff’s Office Jail in Lewiston. The bomb squad also responded to the standoff scene to clear Reagan’s vehicle. Streets around the fire scene on Larry Street in Pullman are back open.