Forest Grove Man Set Off Explosive Near Ex-Wife's Home, Police Say

FOREST GROVE, OR — Police on Wednesday arrested a man they say detonated "a large destructive device" outside the home of his estranged wife on May 19.

Forest Grove resident Timothy Ray Holycross, 57, has been lodged at the Washington County Jail on charges of aggravated attempted murder, arson, theft, criminal mischief, possession of a destructive device and manufacture of a destruction device, and unlawful possession of a firearm. He his being held on more than $800,000 bail, according the Forest Grove Police spokesman Capt. Mike Herb.

Shortly before 1:30 a.m. May 19, officers responded to an explosion near Bard Park in the 2900-block of 22nd Place in Forest Grove, Herb said in a statement. There officers found evidence of an explosion, damage to a nearby residence, and shrapnel roughly 100 yards away from the blast site, Herb said.

Inside the damaged residence, Holycross' estranged wife and another unidentified male were sleeping when the explosion went off, but neither person was hurt, Herb said. After speaking with the estranged wife, investigators learned Holycross had been hit with a stalking order after months of repeated, unwanted contact, Herb said, making Holycross a person of interest in the explosion. Additional evidence found by detectives made Holycross the primary suspect in the case, and on June 7 officers executed a warrant for his arrest.

Anyone with additional information about the explosion or Holycross is asked to call the Forest Grove Police Department at 503-992-3260.

Photo Courtesy: Forest Grove Police Department