Arson suspect to be arraigned

Jacob Rivera, 44, will be arraigned Jan. 2 in Mason County Superior Court on charges of first-degree arson in connection with an explosion and house fire in Hoodsport on Dec. 13 and attempting to elude police Dec. 11.

Witnesses identified Rivera leaving the scene of the fire, which started at 6:23 a.m., according to the Mason County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies were called to the home in the 200 block of North Mount Washington Drive in Hoodsport by the fire marshal.

Deputy J. Cozad said he viewed a neighbor’s video surveillance of the explosion and saw Rivera and his girlfriend, Janelle Egbert, arguing before the explosion, according to the probable cause document.

“I reviewed the footage and observed Janelle fleeing from the residence screaming and yelling ‘stay the (expletive) away from me.’ At the same time, she is looking back toward her residence where a male can be heard yelling ‘I’m going to set your house on fire (expletive),’ ” Cozad wrote in the document.

Almost two minutes later, Cozad said he saw a “red glow” in the house.

“You can begin to observe the reflection of light from flames and then a loud explosion can be heard. After approximately another 20 seconds goes by and a second explosion is set off. When the second explosion goes you can hear glass shattering from the residence,” according to the document.

Cozad said he also heard ammunition exploding in the house.

Another neighbor told the deputy he saw Rivera go to a truck parked by the home and then walk away from the neighborhood.

Cozad said Egbert was not cooperative when he asked her what happened.

“Every time I would [ask] Janelle who she was fighting with she would pretend to be asleep. She would do the same when asked who started the fire, and when asked who she was running from,” according to the document.

Police say they later found an AR-15 rifle in Rivera’s truck at the residence. Rivera is a convicted felon and prevented from having firearms.

“It was later discovered by fire investigators that it appeared the fire was started with gas canisters inside the living room,” Cozad wrote.

Two days earlier, Mason County Deputy R. Carney spotted Rivera, who had several felony warrants on other incidents, at the IGA store on U.S. Highway 101 in Hoodsport.

Carney started following Rivera in his cruiser. When Carney turned on his emergency lights, Rivera sped off at speeds of about 100 mph, Carney wrote in a probable cause document. At one point, Rivera reached 130 mph along the wet highway, Carney said.

Rivera eventually pulled into the public boat launch area in the 1500 block of North Sunnyside Road, where the Chevy Malibu he was driving became stuck in standing water.

“It was at this time, I observed Jacob Rivera (whom I have contacted numerous times) exit the driver’s door, and begin wading away from the floating vehicle in waist deep water. I noted when Jacob got out of his vehicle he was silent not making a sound entering the frigid cold waters. I then shouted at Jacob to stop running away, and that he was under arrest. However, Jacob continued to run away willfully ignoring my lawful commands to stop. Along with Jacob fleeing from the vehicle, I observed a female who is believed to be Janelle Egbert exit the vehicle and flee on foot as well,” according to the document.

Carney and another deputy on the scene waited for backup and then searched for the pair but didn’t find them.

Carney said he found Rivera’s wallet inside the submerged car.

Egbert has not been arrested or charged.