ALBEMARLE COUNTY, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – A man is in custody and facing serious charges after allegedly setting an Albemarle County house on fire by crashing into it with a vehicle.

Units from Albemarle County Fire Rescue and officers from Albemarle County Police Department responded to a domestic incident in the 1800 block of Secretarys Road at 10:39 a.m. on Thursday, May 2, 2024. They arrived to find the house on fire.

The four adults and one juvenile who lived inside escaped unharmed, but the house is a total loss.

Officials identified a suspect in the incident, Jacob A. Pope of no fixed address. He was last seen leaving the scene on foot with a baseball bat. A section of Secretarys Road was shut down while authorities searched for Pope in the immediate area. The 26-year-old was apprehended at approximately 2:47 pm in a vehicle located on Interstate 64 westbound near mile marker 121.

Pope has been charged with three felonies:

  • Attempted malicious wounding
  • Child endangerment
  • Arson

Pope is in custody pending a bond hearing. Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact ACPD at 434-296-5807. For those who wish to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 434-977-4000 or Crimestoppers@albemarle.org.