Bail is set at $100,000 for the Olympia man arrested Sunday morning after an alleged “four-day crime spree” in Lewis County.
The man, identified by the Centralia Police Department as David M. Rangel, 32, was charged Tuesday in Lewis County Superior Court with two counts of attempting to elude a police vehicle, one count of theft of a motor vehicle, one count of second-degree theft, one count of obstructing a law enforcement officer and one count of third-degree malicious mischief.
Rangel’s alleged “crime spree” began Thursday, Jan. 11, when Rangel allegedly broke the windshield of a family member’s vehicle at the intersection of Windsor Avenue and Vienna Street in Centralia and fled the area on foot. Rangel allegedly caused about $200 in damage to the vehicle.
Officers with the Centralia Police Department reportedly located Rangel on Jan. 11 and pursued him on foot, but Rangel “jumped over multiple fences and was able to get away from the containment area that had been set up to capture him,” according to the Centralia Police Department.
The next day, Friday, Jan. 12, Rangel allegedly ran out of a Centralia outlet store with $1,700 in merchandise, got into a car and fled the area. Centralia officers contacted the vehicle’s owner, who allegedly “admitted … to giving David Rangel a ride to the outlet mall,” said “he stayed in the vehicle and Rangel returned from the store with a big bag and told him to drive,” according to court documents.
The vehicle’s owner reportedly told officers “he saw a female running in their direction and presumed that Rangel had stolen something.”
At approximately 10:50 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 13, the Flock camera system in Centralia alerted the Centralia Police Department to a stolen vehicle within city limits. Officers reportedly spotted the vehicle as it was turning onto Belmont Avenue and attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the vehicle fled at 50 to 60 miles per hour on residential roadways, according to court documents.
“Its tires would come off the ground as it went over speed bumps,” according to court documents.
Officers reportedly terminated the pursuit “due to reckless driving.”
At approximately 11:45 p.m. that same day, Randel’s brother-in-law contacted the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office to report that Randel had stolen his 2017 Chevy Camaro. He reportedly said Randel had come over to his Centralia residence earlier that day, asked to be taken to the hospital, took the keys from inside the residence and drove off.
At approximately 6:20 a.m. the next morning, Sunday, Jan. 14, the Flock camera system in Centralia alerted the Centralia Police Department to a stolen vehicle on Mellen Street. An officer caught up to the vehicle when it turned onto Military Road, at which point the vehicle “began to accelerate away,” driving into the opposite lane to avoid spike strips and speeding towards Interstate 5.
“As it became apparent Rangel was not going to stop, officers shut off their emergency lights and sirens and followed Rangel as he drove northbound on I-5 for safety reasons while his tire disintegrated,” according to the Centralia Police Department.
The vehicle’s front tire reportedly “burst” as Rangel approached milepost 88 on I-5. He reportedly continued driving on the rim, but ultimately “slowed his vehicle and jumped out of it, fleeing westbound on foot, crossing the southbound lanes of I-5 into the wooded area near Grand Mound,” according to the Centralia Police Department. A Centralia officer positioned his vehicle in front of the still-moving vehicle Rangel abandoned, stopping it “before anyone was hurt,” the Centralia Police Department stated.
The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office responded to assist and deployed K9 Igo, who tracked Rangel for over an hour to a relative’s address about 2 miles away.
“K9 Igo tracked over numerous fences and ended up at the back of a residence, where the suspect was located inside,” the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit said in a Facebook post Sunday morning.
Rangel was arrested there without further incident, according to the Centralia Police Department.
When questioned, Ranfel allegedly “admitted to knowing the vehicle was stolen, which is why he was driving like he was because he did not want to get caught,” according to court documents. He allegedly also said “He stole the items from the outlet mall because that was his ‘love language,’ indicating he was going to give the stolen items to (his girlfriend).”
Rangel was booked into the Lewis County Jail at 8:40 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 14,
“The facts for this case speak for themselves,” Deputy Prosecutor William Halstead said of Rangel’s case during a preliminary hearing in Lewis County Superior Court on Tuesday, Jan. 16. Halstead requested that Rangel’s bail be set at $100,000 due to the nature of the case as well as multiple similar offenses and warrant activity on his record.
While defense attorney Rachael Tiller asked for a lower bail, stating Rangel “is very interested in mental health court (or) drug court,” Judge J. Andrew Toynbee opted to set bail at $100,000.
Toynbee cited the alleged facts of the case and Rangel’s criminal history as reasons for the relatively high bail.
“That screams high bail in order to ensure he comes back to court and ensure public safety,” Toynbee said of Rangel’s record.
Arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, Jan.18.
