The Washington PostDemocracy Dies in Darkness

Man who set Indiana Jones-like trap convicted after hurting FBI agent

June 9, 2023 at 5:54 a.m. EDT
A scene from “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” starring Harrison Ford. (Moviestore/Shutterstock)
5 min

In the middle of the Oregon forest, Gregory Rodvelt turned a house into a maze of tripwires, barricades and booby traps fit for a heist movie.

The most dramatic was set near the property’s front gate, where a round hot tub was rigged to roll down the hill that led up to Rodvelt’s house and flatten anyone who approached. It evoked the famous “Raiders of the Lost Ark” scene in which Indiana Jones is chased by a giant boulder, Rodvelt later told an FBI agent, according to court records.