Arson charge for man accused of starting fire in Olympia pizzeria

A Vancouver man was charged with arson after allegedly starting a fire in an Olympia restaurant.

The Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney charged Egan Leo Lawyer, 19, with one count of first-degree arson on April 6.

Olympia police arrested Lawyer on March 27 after a reported suspicious circumstance at the Old School Pizzeria on Franklin Street.

The owner told police that he and other employees were inside the building when he noticed smoke coming from inside the restaurant. He checked the pizza ovens but saw that it was not the source of the smoke.

 The owner later found a window on the north side of the building on fire.

Police located burnt paper on the exterior side of the window. An officer also said the fire completely burned through the bottom right corner of the window frame and broke a single pane window.

An officer said surveillance footage from the Intercity Transit Center near the restaurant, showing a man, later identified as Lawyer, walk toward Old School Pizzeria.

The suspect stopped by the windows then headed east through an alley. Lawyer is later seen returning to the window and stopping for a moment before walking away. Smoke began coming from the window shortly after he left.

An officer located Lawyer on the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Jefferson Street. The suspect was booked into the Thurston County Jail for first-degree arson.