Suspected Hoodsport arsonist is captured

Police have arrested an arson suspect wanted in connection with an explosion in Hoodsport.

Jacob Rivera, 44, was arrested by Grays Harbor County deputies Dec. 16, after he allegedly fled the scene of a Dec. 13 explosion and suspicious house fire in the 200 block of North Mount Washington Drive in Hoodsport. Rivera had previously been accused by his girlfriend of making bombs when he was arrested over the summer on domestic violence charges.

Witnesses identified Rivera fleeing the scene, “while a female victim sought refuge with a nearby neighbor,” according to a statement by the Mason County Sheriff’s Office.

Police set up a perimeter in the area and searched with K9 units but could not locate Rivera at the time.

Rivera is in the Mason County Jail held on 14 offenses, including arson.

Before his current arrest, Rivera was charged on Dec. 15 with incest in the first degree, rape of a child in the third degree and indecent exposure.

Judge Monty Cobb issued a warrant for Rivera’s arrest and set bail at $100,000.

Rivera allegedly raped his daughter and made her watch pornography with him, according to a Shelton Police Department probable cause document.

Officer Jared Ford prepared the probable cause document for that case Jan. 12, 2023. It’s unclear why charges were delayed until Dec. 15.

Cobb previously set bail for Rivera at $5,000 for a domestic violence assault charge July 5.

In that incident, Rivera’s girlfriend told police he threw her into closet doors and tried to strangle her, according to the probable cause document. His girlfriend said he suffers from “meth psychosis” and “did advise that Jacob has been making ‘bombs’ and threatened to throw one out the car window,” according to the document.

Rivera was charged with several more offenses Sept. 5 and 18.

On Sept. 5, a preliminary hearing by Cobb found probable cause for felony harassment, second-degree malicious mischief, weapons charges and hit-and-run, according to court documents.

The state requested $50,000 bail, and Cobb set bail at $7,000.

On Sept. 18, Rivera was back in court and Cobb found probable cause for felony eluding, first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of a controlled substance.

The state requested $25,000 bail, and Cobb set bail at $50,000.

Rivera posted bond Sept. 21 and entered a plea of not guilty at his initial arraignment Sept. 25.

Rivera didn’t show up for his next court date Nov. 6 and forfeited his bail. Cobb issued a bench warrant and set new bail at $75,000.

Court documents list a home address for Rivera in the same block as the explosion.