Oak Harbor Man Arrested, Suspected in Christmas Eve Apartment Arson

Oak Harbor police detained Eric Turner shortly after noon on December 24, after crews from Oak Harbor Fire Department, Navy Fire and North Whidbey Fire and Rescue responded to an apartment fire on Northeast Ireland Street. Officers arrived to find black smoke issuing from the building's second floor and evacuated two tenants from a nearby unit. Paul Schroer, the city fire marshal, said crews got the fire under control within five minutes.

Officers received a report of a "suspicious male" seen "running from the area" of the on fire apartment, and the arresting officer's report noted a caller observed Turner "talking weird" before leaving. Police located Turner on Ely Street. The officer observed soot on his hands and shoes, smelled "the odor of burnt plastic," and identified him through his military common access card.

Investigators entered the apartment, later linked to Turner through prior contacts, and found three of the stove's four electrical burners alight with the knobs turned to "high." A stuffed animal and other flammable items were too badly burned to identify. The fire department also discovered a plastic Christmas tree burning in the kitchen, appearing to have been intentionally, but separately, set on fire. EMTs observed soot on Turner's hands during a medical examination. Turner was booked into the Island County Jail on a charge of arson in the first degree.

Turner is active duty in the Navy and had no prior criminal history or warrants, details confirmed during his preliminary hearing. The Navy did not have a representative at the hearing, though a member of Turner’s chain of command was informed of the hearing schedule. Island County Superior Court Judge Christon Skinner noted Turner's unusual behavior at the hearing. Turner attended remotely via a laptop placed outside his cell door, visible only through a small rectangular opening, and generally did not verbally respond to questions, instead nodding or shaking his head. Skinner released Turner on personal recognizance as a condition of initiating a behavioral health evaluation. Turner had not been formally charged as of Monday morning. His arraignment is scheduled for January 5.

The incident underscores public health and safety issues for Island County residents living in multiunit housing, and raises broader questions about access to behavioral health care for active duty service members. Rapid fire response likely limited damage and potential harm, but the case points to the need for coordinated prevention efforts, stronger communication between military and local health systems, and continued attention to tenant safety during the holiday season.