In our previous post, we began speaking about a recent house fire in a Gatewood neighborhood. As we noted in that post, the man responsible for starting the fire has been charged with arson, domestic violence and felony domestic violence for violating a July 1 court order.

According to court records connected to those charges, the man reportedly has a history of harassment and violence, and has previously been charged with stalking, felony domestic violence and felony harassment. Those charges reportedly arise from several incidents beginning back in 2008.

In 2008, the man reportedly broke his ex-wife's jaw, while they were still married. The couple separated shortly after that incident, for which the wife only filed a disturbance report. Shortly after, the couple began living separately-she at the residence in Gatewood and he at a residence on Mercer Island-and she obtained a restraining order against him.

The 40-year-old man apparently violated that restraining order on multiple occasions and began stalking his wife, threatening her with text messages, emails and phone calls. That behavior took place over several years, until recently.

In March this year, the man spent two months in jail, during which time he was accused of threatening to kill a Seattle Municipal Court Judge who had raised his bail on an assault charge and other charges. Sources didn't indicate the victim connected to those charges, but did say that the charges ultimately came out as misdemeanors.

During his March stay in jail, the man apparently sent a letter to a threatening letter to a former employee, who reported shortly after that the man had harassed and assaulted her back in February. She had apparently been too afraid to report the incident until she heard from the man in March. On May 11, he was charged with felony harassment in connection with that incident.

The charges connected to those incidents culminated in stalking, felony domestic violence, and felony harassment charges issued on March 15, 2011.

The man is now scheduled for a July 14 arraignment on charges connected to the recent house fire. Prosecutors have set his bail at $1 million.

Source: West Seattle Herald, "UPDATE: Mercer Island attorney charged with arson, domestic violence in West Seattle house fire," Ty Swenson, 7 July 2011.