FORKS — Two Forks men accused of lighting a Forks home on fire early Christmas morning were charged with arson Thursday.
Adolfo Martinez Rodriguez, 29, and Bruno Castro, 25, are both charged with first-degree arson after they allegedly tried to light another person’s mobile home on fire.
Castro is scheduled for arraignment 1:30 p.m. Jan. 6. Rodriguez is scheduled for a hearing 1 p.m. Jan. 12.
Castro remained in the Clallam County jail Thursday. Rodriguez has been released with a condition of electronic home monitoring.
A resident of the mobile home at 270 C St. in Forks told police he heard a “whoosh” and started to smell smoke before extinguishing the fire.
The resident also told police Rodriguez and Castro contacted him previously about a bike they believed he stole, court documents say.
Rodriguez told police in an interview the same morning that Castro had approached him two weeks earlier about retaliating against the resident over the missing bike and wanted to burn the victim’s room.
Rodriguez said he gave Castro a nearly full two-gallon gas can to set the fire, he told police, and provided transportation so Castro could start the fire, documents say.
Forks Police Chief Rick Bart said earlier this week officers identified Rodriguez and Castro as suspects “almost immediately” after the fire and said the arrests were a result of good police work.
Bruno’s attorney, Harry Gasnick, said there was no evidence connecting Castro to the crime other than Rodriguez’s word.
“There is nothing independent suggesting there was a second party involved,” he said.
The fire itself was minor, said Bill Paul, chief of Clallam County Fire District No. 1.
It was only on the outside of the home and caused minor damage to the skirting on the mobile home.
“It was nothing structural,” he said.
Firefighters responded at 4:06 a.m., but when they arrived the fire was already mostly out, except for some hot spots, he said.
Court documents say Rodriguez agreed to be as helpful as he could with the case.
When police arrested Castro shortly after the fire, Castro asked to talk to an attorney.
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Reporter Jesse Major can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56250, or at jmajor@peninsuladailynews.com.
Adolfo Martinez Rodriguez, 29, charged with arson, appears in Clallam County Superior Court on Thursday. (Jesse Major/Peninsula Daily News)
