UPDATE: 21-year-old accused of hurting woman, 64, then setting fire to Kennewick apartment

A 21-year-old Kennewick man was arrested after hitting a 64-year-old woman on the head and then setting fire to an apartment.

Bryan P. Hernandez remained Monday in the Benton County jail on investigation of three felony charges stemming from the attack.

The woman, who is related to Hernandez, suffered a significant injury to her head, said a Kennewick police news release.

Police were called to an apartment at 1114 W. 10th Ave. about 5:30 p.m. Saturday where they found the woman in the parking lot.

About the same time, Hernandez broke out a window in the second-story apartment building, armed himself with two knives and began yelling at police, said the release.

More officers, including Tri-City Regional SWAT team members, were called in, while the woman was taken to the hospital.

As more police were arriving, fire alarms inside the apartment began sounding and smoke started billowing from the broken window, said the release.

Other apartments were evacuated and police tried negotiating with Hernandez to surrender.

As the fire continued to burn, Hernandez came outside onto a second-story breezeway landing still carrying the knives.

When he wouldn’t drop them, police shot him with “less lethal” weapons “to gain compliance” and he was arrested, said the release.

Kennewick firefighters then put out the fire.

Hernandez is being held on suspicion of felony domestic violence, arson and unlawful imprisonment.

This story was originally published May 17, 2020 at 3:29 PM.