Bail is set at $150,000 for a man accused of fleeing from police at speeds up to 130 mph in Lewis County while intoxicated Friday night.
Genaro Junior Gusman Coria, 22, of Salem, Oregon, was arrested following a pursuit that began after a Lewis County Sheriff’s Office deputy pulled his vehicle over for speeding near milepost 71 on northbound Interstate 5 at approximately 12:04 a.m. on Saturday, March 8, according to court documents.
Gusman Coria was allegedly driving at 95 mph in a 70 mph zone at the time of the traffic stop.
Gusman Coria did stop for the initial traffic stop and indicated to the deputy that his name was Junior Coria, but he allegedly had no driver’s license, identification or insurance on his person, and he had a handwritten bill of sale in lieu of vehicle registration. He also reportedly had “bloodshot, watery eyes and a notable order of intoxicants coming from his person,” according to court documents. There were two passengers in the vehicle at the time.
Deputies were able to determine that Gusman Coria had a felony warrant out of Clark County for his arrest and had a “violent tendencies” flag on his file, according to court documents.
When informed of the warrant and asked to step outside the vehicle to perform sobriety tests, Gusman Coria allegedly locked himself in the vehicle, advised he was not going to exit the vehicle, and “rapidly accelerated his vehicle away from the deputies,” according to court documents.
Lewis County Sheriff’s Office deputies initiated pursuit and followed the vehicle as it exited northbound I-5 and got back onto southbound I-5.
“The vehicle took multiple exits only to speed through stop signs and intersections without regard to other travelers,” the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office stated in charging documents.
Deputies estimated that Gusman Coria’s speed was traveling at speeds of up to 130 mph while on the freeway.
He reportedly traveled into Cowlitz County while still being pursued. Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office deputies joined the pursuit.
At that point, Gusman Coria allegedly “attempted to travel in the wrong direction into oncoming traffic along I-5, headed northbound,” according to court documents.
Deputies attempted a PIT-maneuver, which spun the vehicle into the correct direction of travel, but failed to stop the vehicle.
The pursuit reportedly continued until the vehicle exited the freeway and drove into a dead-end road where it was blocked by a closed gate. Deputies were then able to use their vehicles to block the suspect’s vehicle in.
After being blocked in, Gusman Coria allegedly “continued to rev the engine multiple times by pressing the throttle” and allegedly ignored multiple commands from deputies to shut off the engine.
He did “eventually shut off the engine and exit the vehicle,” according to court documents.
When he exited the vehicle, a deputy reportedly “observed an open Modelo beer can in the center console of the vehicle,” according to court documents.
Deputies obtained a warrant for a blood draw, which was conducted before Gusman Coria was booked into the Lewis County Jail at 4:22 a.m. on March 8, according to jail records.
He was charged Monday, March 10 with one count each of attempting to elude a police vehicle, obstructing a law enforcement officer, DUI, reckless driving, reckless endangerment and third-degree driving with a suspended license.
His criminal history includes an active Cowlitz County Superior Court case, where he faces charges of third-degree assault, harassment of a criminal justice participant and resisting arrest. He has convictions out of Oregon for DUI, reckless endangerment, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, driving with a suspended license, furnishing alcohol to a person under 21 and assault of a public safety officer, according to court documents.
“This is incredibly concerning,” Deputy Prosecutor Brandi Archer said of the allegations against Gusman Coria.
Referring to the allegations and his criminal history, Archer said, “the state does believe he’s a risk to community safety, he’s a risk to not appear.”
While Judge Paul Strophy agreed that Gusman Coria posed a community safety risk, he set bail lower than the state’s $250,000 bail request due to Gusman Coria’s financial status.
Arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, March 20.
