Man sentenced to more than 4 years in prison for standoff with SWAT that resulted in burned home

The 38-year-old man acquitted of burning his father’s north Spokane home last October during a SWAT standoff will spend a little more than four years in prison for charges related to the incident.

Spokane County Superior Court Judge John Cooney on Thursday sentenced Brian N. Olson to 51 months for felony harassment (threats to kill), said deputy prosecutor Michael Jolstead. Cooney imposed a one-year sentence for fourth-degree assault and three months for resisting arrest, both misdemeanors, but those sentences will run at the same time as the harassment sentence.

Last month, a jury found Olson not guilty of first-degree arson.

Olson demanded his father, Eric Olson, repay him money, accused him of telling his mother he was buying drugs, then kicked his dad in the side of the face Oct. 20 inside Eric Olson’s residence on North Crestline Street, according to court documents.

Eric Olson left and called the police. Authorities, including the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team, responded to the home and the younger Olson refused to come out, according to documents. Law enforcement noted smoke coming from the roof.

Authorities left the scene and Olson remained in the home after several hours of unsuccessful communication with Olson, court records said. The SWAT team returned the next day to search the house.

SWAT personnel said the inside of the house was smoky, but they did not see a fire. Law enforcement breached the windows to a bedroom and the room was blackened and burned, documents said.

Court records said the severity of the charring indicated the materials inside the room had likely been smoldering and burning overnight. The fire in the charred bedroom reignited and spread.

Firefighters extinguished the flames and the SWAT team arrested the younger Olson.

Jolstead said Olson will serve nine months of community custody, or probation, when released from prison.