PE ELL, Wash. – Two men were arrested for burglarizing an elderly couples’ unoccupied, flood damaged home in Pe Ell, authorities said Wednesday.

Zachariah Funder and Michael Mansfield, both 21 and from Olympia, were arrested by Lewis County deputies Tuesday night, said Sgt. Stacy Brown with the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

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Deputies learned that the victims had been staying at their son’s house, which is next door to their home. Their home was severely damaged in a large mud slide in the 5600 block of State Route 6.

Tuesday evening, the victims’ son saw a light on in a bedroom at his parents’ house. He called 911 and went to the residence to confront the intruders. One of the suspects hid but was later found, and the other ran away.

The men were passengers in a vehicle driven by a friend who ignored “Road Closed” signs.

“The driver drove his truck directly into the mudslide,” Brown said.

The vehicle became stuck. Funder and Mansfield told deputies that while they were waiting for the tow truck to arrive they became hungry and needed to use a bathroom, so they entered ithe victims’ home.

One of the suspects also admitted to stealing a small carving knife from the home.

Funder and Mansfield were booked into the Lewis County Jail on burglary charges. The driver of the truck was cited and released.