Bail is set at $500,000 for a Chehalis man accused of raping a woman he was previously in a relationship with before picking up a firearm and threatening to shoot himself on Wednesday.

“The state has concerns for the safety not only of the victim and the defendant, but the safety of the community at large,” Lewis County Deputy Prosecutor Will Halstead said during a preliminary hearing on Thursday.

Officers with the Chehalis Police Department responded to a report of a possible rape in progress in the 1700 block of Southwest Fair Street at approximately 8:45 a.m. on Dec. 25, according to call logs.

The reporting party advised that a man, identified as Beau Francis Bruneau, 39, “just tried to rape his friend” and was “walking around the house with a loaded and cocked firearm.”

Bruneau has been identified as the victim’s ex-husband.

At the time of the call, the victim was outside the residence and hiding in her car, while Bruneau was standing between the car and the house, preventing her from entering the residence.

Bruneau was allegedly heard telling the victim over the phone that he was going to shoot himself, according to court documents.

The victim was reportedly still sitting in her car when officers arrived. As officers approached the residence, a man, later identified as Bruneau, exited.

When questioned, Bruneau reportedly said he didn’t have any firearms on him, but that there were firearms inside the residence. He reportedly said he was “having a mental breakdown and considered shooting himself” and allegedly said “whatever (the victim) told you is the truth.”

The victim was reportedly “frantic and crying when officers arrived,” telling officers that Bruneau had raped her and threatened to kill himself.

She reported that she contacted Bruneau the night prior to ask him to drive her to receive emergency medical care. They later returned to the residence, where the victim reported she “tried to move away from (Bruneau)” after he appeared aroused while sitting near her.

“Beau got very still and then suddenly started to rape her and hold her down and rip her clothes off,” the victim reported, saying she was ultimately able to “fight him off,” sustaining visible injuries to her face in the progress.

Bruneau then allegedly “got a gun and started crying and threatening to shoot himself, walking around (with) his pistol, asking permission to kill himself,” according to court documents.

When advised that the victim reported Bruneau had raped her while she was held down, Bruneau allegedly “agreed, though he said he stopped himself before penetration,” according to court documents. He allegedly “agreed that (the victim) had asked him to stop.”

Lewis County Jail records indicate that Bruneau was booked into the jail at 8:50 a.m. on Dec. 25.

He was charged Thursday, Dec. 26, in Lewis County Superior Court with one count each of second-degree rape and felony harassment. Each charge carries a domestic violence enhancement.

He had his preliminary hearing in Lewis County Superior Court on Thursday, Dec. 26, where he asked his defense attorney not to argue for a lower bail amount than that requested by the prosecution.

“I would like to decline bail,” Bruneau said Thursday when asked by Court Commissioner Paul Strophy to confirm his stance on bail.

“Under these circumstances, I do agree with the state that it is appropriate to set high bail,” Strophy said Thursday, adding that, in this case, it would not be reasonable for the court to deny bail entirely.

Arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 2.