A 32-year-old Olympia man accused of attempted murder and eluding law enforcement in a high-speed chase in late December is being held in Clark County jail in lieu of $750,000 bail, The Olympian has learned through a court records request.
Judge John P. Fairgrieve set the bail for Teral Thomas at his Dec. 27 preliminary appearance in Clark County Superior Court. Centralia police arrested Thomas the day prior at the end of a multi-county pursuit.
The Clark County Prosecuting Attorney's Office charged Thomas with six domestic violence counts on Dec. 29. The charges include second-degree attempted murder, second-degree assault with strangulation, second-degree assault with a deadly weapon, felony harassment, violating a protection order and fourth-degree assault.
A probable cause statement describes the investigation into the incident from the perspective of law enforcement.
An employee of a Vancouver hotel called dispatch on Dec. 26 to report a barefoot woman with a small dog, according to the statement. The hotel worker said she appeared "extremely scared" and said she had been kidnapped.
A deputy arrived at the hotel and contacted the woman. She told the deputy that Thomas, her ex-boyfriend, arrived at her apartment in Olympia earlier that day with her friend who he had previously been barred from contacting.
The woman said Thomas forced her to drive him to Eugene, Oregon with her friend. She said Thomas was in psychosis during the drive and threatened to kill her, according to court records.
Thomas stated he believed the woman and her friend had killed his entire family and he was being followed. The woman further alleged Thomas hit her on the head repeatedly as she drove.
As they approached the 134th Street exit on Interstate 5 in Vancouver, Washington, the statement alleges Thomas tried to strangle the woman with a cell-phone charger cable, causing her to black out.
The woman's friend reportedly hit Thomas enough to loosen his grip and the woman regained consciousness. Thomas allegedly tried to strangle her again, but the statement says the woman managed to jump out the driver-side door with her dog.
Law enforcement reports that Thomas then took command of the vehicle and hit the woman with the front right of the vehicle. The statement indicates the woman was hospitalized at Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital, where it was documented she had ligature marks on her throat and suffered back pain.
Cowlitz County deputies later found the vehicle Thomas drove and began a pursuit. He eluded deputies on northbound I-5 while traveling more than 100 miles per hour, according to the Centralia Police Department.
Lewis County deputies continued the pursuit as Thomas entered their jurisdiction. He eventually crossed into Centralia, where Centralia and Chehalis police joined the pursuit. Thomas ran from his vehicle in Centralia and the remaining passenger escaped.
The Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office unsuccessfully tried to find Thomas with the help a K9 dog. Centralia police found Thomas about an hour later in downtown Centralia, The Olympian previously reported.
Thomas' arraignment hearing has been scheduled for 9 a.m. Jan. 10.
