Whatcom man suspected of starting fire in downtown Bellingham — his fourth this year
A Whatcom County man with a history of starting fires who police believe “presents a danger to the public” is suspected of lighting another in downtown Bellingham last week along Cornwall Avenue.
Bellingham police booked Daniel Peter Mawhinney into Whatcom County Jail on suspicion of first-degree arson June 29, and jail records show he is being held in lieu of $50,000 bond.
Officers were called at 3:38 p.m. June 29 for the report of a possible arson in the 1500 block of Cornwall Avenue across the street from the downtown branch of Washington Federal after a witness saw a man light a fire in a garbage can next to a building, Lt. Claudia Murphy told The Bellingham Herald in an email.
Officers contacted Mawhinney on the east side of the building, Murphy said, and he admitted to starting the fire. Officers found the garbage can had been moved up against the building either right before or after the fire had been started.
Mawhinney also had been contacted earlier in the day about trespassing on the property, Murphy said.
It marked the fourth time in the past four months that Mawhinney had been arrested for reckless burning or arson, Murphy said, adding that he “presents a danger to the public” after he allegedly:
▪ Set fire to a tree next to the Lighthouse Mission on March 4 and was arrested on suspicion of reckless burning.
▪ Set fire to a grocery cart March 21 in the 1000 block of West Holly Street and was arrested on suspicion of reckless burning.
▪ Set fire to a dumpster March 23 in the 200 block of Unity Street and was arrested on suspicion of reckless burning.
During that time, Mawhinney also has been arrested on suspicion of fourth-degree assault, disorderly conduct and indecent exposure, Murphy said.
Whatcom County Superior Court records show Mawhinney has previously been convicted of second-degree assault in 2017 and of first-degree malicious mischief in 2014 after he stuffed newspaper in a mailbox and lit it on fire during a disagreement with a neighbor along Birch Bay Lynden Road.
