A man who allegedly tried to take car keys from an elderly woman in Centralia Tuesday morning is in custody with bail set at $100,000 after the woman and her grandson fought and restrained him.
Officers with the Centralia Police Department were dispatched to the parking lot of a medical facility in the 1900 block of Cooks Hill Road just after 7:50 p.m. on Aug. 2 for a report that a male wearing “hospital/patient attire” attempted to take car keys from an elderly female, according to the department’s call log.
The suspect, identified by law enforcement as Talaalemotu N. Tuupo, 37, of Tacoma, allegedly “threw the victim down on the ground in an attempt to steal her keys and vehicle,” according to the call log.
The victim reported she had just exited her vehicle when Tuupo allegedly “came up to her and grabbed her keys,” pushed her into a truck that was parked next to her car and then “tried to throw her to the ground, causing her to fall to her knees,” according to an affidavit of probable cause filed in Lewis County Superior Court on Thursday.
At that point, the victim’s grandson reportedly “tackled Tuupo to the ground and detained him.”
Officers with the Centralia Police Department handcuffed Tuupo once they arrived at the scene.
The woman reportedly sustained abrasions to her knees and a bruise on her finger as a result of the incident, according to the affidavit.
Tuupo was and booked him into the Lewis County Jail Tuesday morning. He has since been charged with one count each of first-degree attempted robbery, second-degree assault and attempted theft of a motor vehicle.
While Deputy Prosecutor Joe Bassetti asked Judge Joely Yeager to set bail at $50,000 during a preliminary hearing in Lewis County Superior Court on Thursday, Yeager opted to set bail twice that amount, at $100,000.
Defense attorney Rachael Tiller had argued for a reduced bail due to Tuupo’s lack of criminal history, his financial status and family support.
Despite Tuupo having no felony convictions on his record, Yeagher said “the allegations here … are extremely concerning and present what the court would consider a significant risk to community safety.”
Tuupo’s arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 10.
