A Ukiah man has been arrested following the detonation of an explosive device in an abandoned shopping cart in Redwood Valley, prompting a multi-agency investigation and renewed concern over recent incidents involving homemade explosives in Mendocino County.
Captain Quincy Cromer of the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office said the explosion occurred around noon on May 1 near the 8600 block of North State Street. The Redwood Valley Calpella Fire District initially responded to a reported fire, which had already been extinguished by community members. Upon further inspection, officials determined that an explosive device had caused the fire.
"The device was placed in an abandoned shopping cart and left a debris field approximately 100 feet wide,” Cromer said. "A section of grass about 8 feet in diameter had also burned."
A battalion chief from the Ukiah Valley Fire Authority, who is also an arson investigator, determined that arson had been committed. Fragments of the explosive device matched the construction of a similar device found intact in a roadside ditch along Highway 222 the day before. That April 30 device was rendered safe by the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office bomb squad.
Investigators later identified the suspect as Todd Scott, 49, of Ukiah. Cromer said Scott was located during a traffic stop in Redwood Valley later that evening. A search of his home uncovered a third, partially constructed device and three firearms. Scott, who is prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior convictions, was arrested on suspicion of igniting an explosive device and committing arson.
He was booked into Mendocino County Jail and later released on bail. Additional charges related to illegal firearm possession are being referred to the District Attorney.
Authorities are urging the public to report suspicious items. “If you see something, say something,” Cromer said, adding that bomb squad specialists should be called to assess any potentially dangerous devices.
The case comes amid a handful of recent incidents involving explosives in Mendocino and neighboring Humboldt County. Cromer acknowledged the uptick but cautioned against public panic.
“These types of crimes are very rare in our county,” he said. “We don’t believe there is a broader criminal conspiracy in this case.”
The Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information about the incident to call 707-463-4086 and press Option 1 for dispatch.
