Man Arrested After Burning Down Klickitat County Deputy’s Barn, Chasing Him With Truck

This is probably the most bizarre story of 2026 so far in WA state.

  Klickitat County Man Tries to Run Down Officer With Woman, Baby in His Truck

Monday, February 23rd. the Klickitat County Sheriff released information about an incident involving an arsonist who later tried to run down Officers.

February 17th. a KCSO Deputy returned home with his family and noticed their barn are smelled like gas. The building erupted in flames, but no one was hurt.  Kittitas County Fire Units doused the blaze before it could spready elsewhere. The Deputy and his family were housed temporarily in a nearby hotel as his property was now an active Crime Scene.

The KCSO K-9 hit on a scent at the scene and it led to a nearby neighbor's home, but despite possibly seeing someone inside, nobody answered the calls to come out. Deputies retreated and came up with a new plan of action.

   Search Warrants and Additional Resources Assembled

Sheriff Bob Songer worked with the WA State Patrol SWAT team and on February 19th, they served a warrant at a home in nearby Lyle, WA.

As the Officers and SWAT were clearing the property and searching, a pickup came toward them from another part of the property. The driver, identified as 35-year-old Kiva Dobson, briefly stopped, and a woman and baby in the truck attempted to leave through the passenger door, but before they could, Dobson gunned the gas and sped toward Officers.

   The Suspect Swerved, Nearly Causing the Woman and Baby to Fall Out of the Truck

He then increased his speed down his long driveway toward 2 other Deputies who were blocking the exit with their cruisers.  Dobson stopped, jumped out and told Officers, "shoot me."  The Deputies and SWAT moved into arrest him, and after a struggle he was safely subdued.  The woman and baby were not hurt, and were released.

Dobson is facing multiple counts of 1st Degree Arson, Assault and other counts. Officials didn't say if the suspect had previous run-ins with law enforcement. The investigation continues.