Olympia man taken into custody after standoff over apartment fire

A resident of an Olympia apartment building was taken into custody on suspicion of starting a fire and later refusing to comply with police, leading to an hourslong standoff.

According to reports by several Olympia police officers, Danny Pollock, 55, was arrested last Sun., Feb. 12, after a fire broke out at about 3:35 a.m. at Bayview Apartments along Prospect Avenue.

Officers noted that the smoke billowing on the first floor came from a fire in the second unit, where they heard the faint voice of a man later identified as Pollock.

Police broke the glass windows of the unit to rescue Pollock. A ram was then used to breach the front door.

Officers said they yelled at Pollock to exit the apartment, but the suspect repeatedly said “no” and “disappeared into the smoke, where he could no longer be seen.”

One officer said he continued breaking the glass windows in a bid to see into the apartment, at which point he saw Pollock about two feet from the front door, holding a butcher knife and staring directly at him.

Authorities backed away but continued to ask Pollock to exit the apartment. The Olympia Fire Department eventually managed to put out the fire.

After police established probable cause for first-degree arson and ensured that all other tenants had been evacuated, they began issuing multiple orders for Pollock to leave his unit.

Officers said the suspect refused to comply and held on to his knife the entire time. Police also said Pollock “challenged” them to enter his apartment and began “amping” himself up, yelling “here we go,” but remaining inside the unit.

Police then obtained a search warrant to enter Pollock’s apartment and recover his butcher knife. The Thurston County SWAT arrived at the scene at about 5:14 a.m.

Pollock was placed into custody at around 9:55 a.m. He was transported to the Providence St. Peter Hospital for medical clearance.

Police said the suspect was still at the hospital as of early Monday morning. No further update was available today.

Neither the Thurston County Jail nor Nisqually Jail roster currently lists Pollock as an inmate. Court records show, however, that Maven Properties filed an eviction lawsuit against Pollock on Feb. 16.