Bail has been set at $50,000 for the suspect in a Portland robbery accused of fleeing from Centralia law enforcement in a stolen vehicle on Thursday.
The suspect, Jamaal Green, 31, of Manhattan, Kansas, was charged Friday with one count each of possession of a stolen vehicle, first-degree possessing stolen property, attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle, and hit-and-run to an attended vehicle.
He is accused of fleeing from Centralia officers who tried to stop the stolen Penske truck he was driving westbound on Mellen Street just after 11:10 a.m. on June 29, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed in Lewis County Superior Court on Friday.
Green allegedly failed to stop for the officer who tried to pull him over, fled from officers for three blocks, driving through a yard, striking the back of an occupied school bus and continuing to drive for a block before coming to a stop, according to the affidavit.
The bus driver, who was not injured, was the only person inside the school bus at the time of the crash, according to court documents.
After the truck came to a stop, it “quickly reversed” and Green allegedly “jumped out of the truck as it was backing up and fled on foot,” according to the affidavit.
A Centralia police officer and a Centralia patrol sergeant reportedly chased Green on foot for three blocks before apprehending him in the 1220 block of Mellen Street.
He allegedly “did not follow commands” at first, attempting to jump over a fence then trying to run around the fence before obeying an officer’s command to get on the ground, according to the affidavit.
Green is accused of stealing the truck, which was filled with 135 new tires — valued at a total of $21,000 — going out for delivery to local businesses, from Portland, Oregon between 8 a.m. and 8:15 a.m. on Thursday. He allegedly assaulted two employees at the Portland business before stealing the vehicle.
Centralia officers recovered 109 of the 135 tires from the back of the vehicle, with 26 tires unaccounted for.
Jail staff reportedly located $4,000 cash in Green’s shoe when he was booked into the Lewis County Jail on Thursday, and “it is believed Jamaal may have sold the tires, resulting in the concealed money,” per court documents.
Charges related to the Portland robbery will be handled in an Oregon court once his Washington matter is resolved.
Green has protested law enforcement’s seizure of the cash as evidence, defense attorney Rachael Tiller said during Green’s preliminary hearing in Lewis County Superior Court on Friday.
Green chose to speak to Judge J. Andrew Toynbee during his preliminary hearing on Friday, during which Toynbee found Green was a community safety risk and a failure to appear risk and granted the prosecution’s request for $50,000 bail.
Protesting the seizure of the cash and disputing the charges, Green told Toynbee, “I did not flee. I did not even run from the police officers, with all due respect, your honor.”
Green then promised he would appear at future hearings and added, “I am not a threat to the community at all, your honor.”
Toynbee told Green he had heard and considered Green’s statements, but would not change his decision on the bail amount Friday.
Arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, June 6.
