Longview arson suspect arrested

LONGVIEW — A Longview man suspected of lighting a house on fire and threatening to kill its occupants last week faces first-degree arson charges following his arrest Tuesday by Longview police.

The incident arose from a domestic violence case between the suspect, Isaiah Scott Mitchell, 41, and an 18-year-old woman, Corporal Tim Watson said.

The woman sought refuge from Mitchell in a one-story house at 1428 Beech Street that Watson described as a “flophouse.” Mitchell tracked her down to the building on the morning of Thanksgiving Day. There were a total of seven people inside the structure at the time, Watson said.

“The folks inside locked the door, (but) Mr. Mitchell continued to pound on the building,” Watson said. “[He] demanded she come out, threatened to kill everybody and burn the place down if she wasn’t sent out.”

Mitchell then began pouring gasoline on the exterior of the building and set it on fire, Watson said. According to police records, the woman ran out as soon as the occupants could get the door open, and neither she nor Mitchell were seen again by the occupants that night.

Detectives located and arrested Mitchell on Tuesday. He being held without bail on suspicion of first-degree arson and felony harassment.

Longview fire crews were dispatched, but police canceled the call because the fire caused no major damage, the agency said.