Bail is set at $500,000 for a Centralia man accused of driving recklessly while under the influence of fentanyl, fleeing from police and refusing to let his passenger out of the vehicle on Thursday.
Officers with the Centralia Police Department reportedly tried to pull over a red Volkswagen Beetle that was traveling southbound on Harrison Avenue at about 2:20 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 22, according to Centralia police call logs and court documents.
The vehicle was reportedly registered to a woman whose license was suspended.
When an officer initiated the traffic stop, the driver of the Volkswagen, who was later identified as Zenin Russell Gerhing, 32, allegedly slowed down, turned onto Fords Prairie Avenue, then “accelerated in a manner (the officer) believed was an attempt to elude,” according to court documents.
The Volkswagen made a hard right turn onto Reynolds Avenue at a high speed, leaving the roadway and striking the shoulder before correcting.
The officer followed the Volkswagen as it drove between 75 to 80 mph on Reynolds Avenue. The Volkswagen reportedly made multiple turns and crossed the double yellow centerline at least once and ran “numerous” stop signs.
“Based on the driving pattern, (the officer) suspected the driver may be under the influence,” according to court documents.
The Volkswagen reportedly made a right turn at the intersection of West Maple and North Washington streets at a high rate of speed, causing it to leave the roadway and strike a cement wall.
The vehicle continued driving onto H Street, where the officer “observed the passenger side door open numerous times” and saw Gerhing reach toward the passenger side.
Officers later learned that the passenger, the registered owner of the vehicle, had fallen out of the vehicle.
The Volkswagen continued driving onto West Sixth Street, where an officer utilized a PIT maneuver to stop the vehicle and end the pursuit.
Gerhing was then arrested and transported to Providence Centralia Hospital for a blood draw.
The officer noted that Gerhing “displayed mood swings and was argumentative” and had “soiled his clothing,” according to court documents.
The female passenger who fell out of the Volkswagen suffered non-life threatening road abrasions from the incident.
Dash cam footage reportedly showed that she fell out of the vehicle while it was moving at slow speeds, according to court documents.
When questioned, she reportedly told officers “that she asked Gerhing ‘100 times’ to stop so she could get out, but he refused.” She also allegedly told officers Gerhing had used fentanyl three to four hours before the attempted traffic stop.
Gerhing was booked into the Lewis County Jail at 5:20 a.m. on Aug. 22, according to jail records.
He was charged Friday, Aug. 23 with one count each of felony DUI, reckless endangerment, attempt to elude and escape from community custody.
He was held without bail over the weekend after he refused to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on Friday, Aug. 23.
The hearing was rescheduled to Monday, Aug. 26, at which time Gerhing did appear and bail was set at $500,000.
“Mr. Gehring presents an extreme risk to community safety … He also presents quite a huge flight risk,” Judge Joely Yeager said during Gehring’s preliminary hearing on Monday, where she granted the prosecution’s bail request.
“The facts of the case indicate a very dangerous driving pattern ... I think this checks every box for a community safety risk,” Deputy Prosecutor Joe Bassetti said Monday, adding that the $500,000 bail request was likely the highest bail he had ever requested for a driving case.
Gehring has no intention to post bail at this time, according to defense attorney Rachael Tiller. “He has every intention of completing this case quickly,” she said.
Arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 29.
