Man suspected of setting fire to school bus in central Vancouver

A transient man is accused of setting a school bus on fire Thursday night behind a car dealership in central Vancouver.

Tyler Autry, 28, was arrested on suspicion of second-degree arson, along with outstanding District Court warrants for third-degree theft, malicious mischief and reckless burning, according to court records.

In Clark County Superior Court on Friday morning, Judge Jennifer Snider set Autry’s bail at $50,000. He is scheduled for a competency hearing Tuesday. Court records show Autry has known mental health problems.

Vancouver police responded at 10:19 p.m. to the Alan Webb Mazda dealership at 3716 N.E. 66th Ave., for reports of an arson. A manager at the dealership told police that a man, whom police identified from surveillance video as Autry, had set a school bus on fire, according to a probable cause affidavit. Court records don’t state whether the bus belonged to a school district.

Autry told police the bus belonged to him and that he set it on fire with a lighter, the affidavit says. Another witness said they saw Autry exit the flaming bus and leave the area.

Court records did not cite the amount of damage to the bus.