A Las Vegas truck driver will likely spend another night in jail after a state trooper found him lying in the sleeper cab of his truck while parked in the right lane of Interstate 5.
Prior to his arrest, Gage A. Coulter, 24, had reportedly been wanted by the Napavine Police Department for an alleged assault that occurred earlier in the evening.
Coulter made a preliminary appearance in Lewis County Superior Court Wednesday afternoon after he was booked into the Lewis County Jail around 1:30 a.m.
He’s charged with one count each of first-degree malicious mischief, felony harassment, driving while under the influence, reckless driving and third-degree malicious mischief.
Coulter faces up to 10 years in prison for the first-degree malicious mischief charge.
During the hearing, Deputy Prosecutor Brandi Archer highlighted the state’s concern for community safety and said Coulter had no ties to the community.
Defense attorney Rachael Tiller said she didn’t believe Coulter had any criminal history.
Judge J. Andrew Toynbee set Coulter’s bail at $150,000 cash or bond, citing Coulter’s alleged interaction with both law enforcement and care providers at the hospital. Toynbee added that he didn’t see Coulter as a good candidate for release.
According to a probable cause affidavit, a state trooper located Coulter’s truck — which was pulling a flatbed trailer — on southbound I-5 near milepost 58 at about 10:30 p.m. May 26.
The affidavit said the truck was “blocking the entire right lane.”
The trooper saw the truck had parked with its lights on. He found a case of Modelo beer and a beer can in the road.
According to the affidavit, the trooper opened the truck’s driver’s side door and saw more beer cans inside the cab. He saw the driver lying on the bed.
The driver allegedly told the trooper he couldn’t drive because he was “past drive hours.” The trooper reportedly noted his flushed face and slurred speech and ordered him to exit the cab.
Outside, the trooper saw that the driver, now identified as Coulter, was “unsteady on his feel (sic) and smelled strongly of alcohol,” according to the affidavit.
Following his arrest, Coulter allegedly threatened to kill the trooper once he was released from jail.
“While en route to the jail, Mr. Coulter repeatedly struck the doors and spit all over the back seat,” the affidavit said.
Coulter allegedly refused to take an alcohol breath test at the jail and made more threats.
The trooper applied for and received a search warrant for a blood draw, and transported Coulter to Providence Centralia Hospital.
While there, Coulter allegedly "became agitated and kicked the hospital wall two times, causing a large hole in the drywall,” according to the affidavit.
Coulter was eventually booked into jail.
He was scheduled to appear for an arraignment on May 28.
