The Packwood couple accused of falsely claiming a semi truck driver ran them off the road last year have been arrested on bench warrants.
John L. Rush, 60, and Lisa M. Rush, 59, failed to appear for preliminary hearings on July 22, 2025, prompting Judge J. Andrew Toynbee to issue the warrants.
The judge set John Rush’s bail at $25,000 cash or bond and Lisa Rush’s bail at $5,000 cash or bond.
On Tuesday, the couple made their long-awaited appearance in Lewis County Superior Court, following their Monday arrests.
John Rush is charged with malicious prosecution, second-degree perjury, making a false or misleading statement to a public servant, reckless driving and three counts of reckless endangerment.
Lisa Rush is charged with malicious prosecution, second-degree perjury and making a false or misleading statement to a public servant.
Toynbee kept the bail amounts as set in the bench warrants and ordered John Rush to clear his four other unrelated warrants within 30 days of his release from jail.
Toynbee said he would allow the couple to have contact with one another, so long as they didn’t discuss the case.
“The facts of this case concern me, even though they are merely allegations at this point,” Toynbee said.
Defense attorney Rachael Tiller said that Lisa was John’s caregiver and argued the couple had not been aware of the case.
According to a probable cause affidavit, on May 29, 2025, John Rush reported that “he had been run off the road by an erratically driven semi” while on U.S. Highway 12 in Lewis County.
Rush told the 911 dispatcher that his vehicle was damaged and his wife had been injured.
On June 3, 2025, Rush reportedly told a Washington State Patrol trooper that the semi driver had swerved into his lane while Rush was trying to pass the truck.
Rush said he was forced to enter the opposite lane before swerving back. He said he pulled off onto the shoulder of the highway.
“(Rush) said there was a collision with the semi during this incident that resulted in his wife, Lisa Rush, sustaining multiple broke ribs and a strained neck,” the affidavit said.
The couple signed witness statements and provided pictures of the damaged vehicle.
The trooper, however, “noted the damage did not appear consistent with being struck by a semi,” according to the affidavit.
The trooper contacted Walsh Trucking. The company provided dashcam footage from both the alleged truck involved and another driving in the opposite direction at the time of the incident.
According to the affidavit, the footage showed that “almost everything” the Rushes had stated was false.
“The video shows the Rushs' vehicle illegally passing in a no passing zone and driving in the oncoming lane,” the affidavit said. “The video also showed oncoming traffic having to pull over to the side to avoid a collision with the Rushs' vehicle. It also appeared from the video there was no collision, thus, there would not have been any injury to Lisa Rush.”
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges on Thursday.
