PORT ANGELES — The man accused of starting fires at City Hall and Holy Trinity Lutheran Church on Saturday is schizophrenic and apparently had stopped taking his medication, the county’s chief prosecutor said Monday.
John Douglas Deckebach, 38, of 1711 W. Sixth St., appeared in Clallam County Superior Court on Monday for his initial appearance for allegedly starting the blazes.
He was ordered held in jail in lieu of $250,000 bail.
“It appears when he was interviewed he was acting delusional,” Clallam County Chief Prosecutor Christopher Shea said of a post-arrest interrogation.
Superior Court Judge Ken Williams ordered that if Deckebach posts the bail, he will not be released without a court appearance to address mental health concerns.
Prosecutors on Monday formally charged Deckebach with two counts of first-degree arson, one count of first-degree attempted arson and one count of second-degree attempted arson.
Arraignment is scheduled for Friday at 1:30 p.m.
The rest of this story appears in today’s Peninsula Daily News Clallam County edition. Click on “Subscribe” to get the PDN delivered to your home or office.
