A Tenino man accused of crashing his vehicle in Lewis County while driving drunk, injuring himself and his passenger, in August was arrested Wednesday on a $50,000 warrant. 

Lewis County Superior Court Judge Joely Yeager ruled Thursday to maintain that $50,000 bail for the suspect, identified as 22-year-old Telesforo Francyscano Angel Chigo-Velazquez Jr. 

Chigo-Velazquez was charged Nov. 19, 2024, with one count of vehicular assault. The arrest warrant was issued that same day. 

Chigo-Velazquez allegedly crashed his Honda Accord near the 200 block of Jones Road in Centralia shortly before midnight on Aug. 7, 2024, according to charging documents filed in Lewis County Superior Court. 

A Washington State Patrol investigation later determined that Chigo-Velazquez was driving between 66.73 and 70.08 mph southeast on Jones Road as he approached a right-hand curve in the roadway, according to court documents. The stretch of road is located within a 20 mph recommended speed zone and a 35 mph regulatory speed zone. 

Washington State Patrol investigators determined that Chigo-Velazquez locked his tires to slow the vehicle prior to the curve and didn’t lift up on the brakes while turning, causing the vehicle to fail to negotiate the curve. The Honda became airborne, left the roadway and crashed through a barbed wire fence and some brush before striking the trunk of a tree. 

“The vehicle struck the tree and rotated slightly counterclockwise and came to rest with both occupants still inside the vehicle,” according to court documents. 

Deputies with the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the scene at approximately 11:53 p.m. and found the vehicle in a ditch, with a 20-year-old female occupant on the passenger side in need of medical attention. 

When deputies arrived, the woman “was screaming and yelling that her left collarbone was broken,” according to court documents. Deputies noted that “she was bleeding around her face and had noticeable swelling near her nose and eyes.” 

Medical personnel later learned that the passenger sustained “numerous injuries to include a lacerated spleen, closed displaced fracture of the metatarsal bone of the right foot, displaced fracture of the left clavicle, zygomatic fracture on the right side and a closed subcondylar fracture on the left side,” according to court documents. 

Chigo-Velazquez was also at the scene and in need of medical assistance when deputies arrived, according to court documents.
When questioned about the crash, Chigo-Velazquez allegedly “admitted that he had been the driver of the vehicle” and “admitted that he had been drinking approximately four Twisted Tea alcohol beverages in the 30 minutes prior to driving,” according to court documents. 

A deputy noted that “he could smell alcohol-like intoxicants coming from his breath” and “noticed that his eyes were red, watery and bloodshot.” 

Deputies obtained a search warrant for Chigo-Velazquez’s blood, but “due to his injuries, Chigo-Velazquez was not taken into custody” at the time of the incident. 

On Oct. 8, a deputy conducted an interview with the passenger, who reportedly “indicated that she and Chigo-Velazquez had been drinking at her residence prior to the collision,” according to court documents. She reported that “they decided to go for a drive” and, with Chigo-Velazquez as the driver, they “were driving around on some back roads” when the collision occurred. 

The passenger reported that “she does not recall the collision, but does recall after the collision telling Chigo-Velazquez that he just killed her,” according to court documents. 

The results of Chigo-Velazquez’s blood toxicology tests were not included in the charging documents filed on Nov. 19. 

Chigo-Velazquez, who was walking with crutches during his Lewis County Superior Court preliminary hearing on Thursday, was in the hospital for two months and then in physical rehabilitation up until his arrest Wednesday, according to defense attorney Rachael Tiller. She reported that Chigo-Velazquez was in contact with a police officer throughout his hospital stay and rehab but was not informed of any charges up until his arrest on Wednesday.  

“He has an extremely limited criminal history. He grew up here,” Tiller said of Chigo-Velazquez on Thursday, asking for his bail to be reduced to no more than $10,000. 

“Given the great threat to community safety here, I think it ($50,000 bail) is appropriate,” Lewis County Superior Court Judge Joely Yeager said Thursday. 

Arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 16. 

Chigo-Velazquez’s conditions of release prohibit him from operating a motor vehicle until his case is resolved.