Spokane man arrested on suspicion of setting two fires in Coeur d’Alene

A Spokane man was arrested today by Coeur d’Alene police on two counts of third-degree arson. Alec T. Malinak, 18, is being held on suspicion of setting fires early Wednesday in trash bins at the Coeur d’Alene City Library and nearby at the base of Tubbs Hill. Malinak admitted to police he was in both locations when the fires were lit, and he had ash on his shirt and soot on his hands, said police Sgt. Christie Wood. Malinak also was charged with possession of a concealed weapon. He was found with a 12-inch butterfly knife. Officers responded to the library, at 702 E. Front Ave., at 12:20 a.m. for a report of a suspicious fire. A witness reported a burning Dumpster. The fire scorched the green metal container and melted a large blue upright recycling bin. As officers were finishing up their investigation, other officers located another trash can on fire at the base of Tubbs Hill on the Third Street side of the park. Police then saw a male in the 400 block of Front walking at a hurried pace out of the park across the parking lot, directly away from where officers were trying to extinguish the second fire. Officers detained Malinak, who made several statements and changed his story as to why he was in the park, Wood said.