Lewis County prosecutors on Friday filed charges against the man accused of fleeing the scene of a Napavine collision that injured six children and fractured a woman’s vertebra.
According to court documents, Ruslan S. Trenda, 22, of Longview, said he had a psychotic episode and took “too much medication” before driving.
Trenda faces felony charges of vehicular assault and hit-and-run, along with gross misdemeanor charges of hit-and-run of an attended vehicle, reckless endangerment and reckless driving.
The Washington State Patrol (WSP) had initially listed DUI as another possible charge for Trenda following the incident.
Trenda made a preliminary appearance in Lewis County Superior Court on Friday.
Senior Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meagher said Trenda’s only prior conviction was for a sex offense. Before making his bail request, Meagher cited the allegations that included multiple victims and children “severely injured” in the collision, as well as Trenda’s alleged attempt to hide in another person’s vehicle after fleeing the scene.
“He presents a great threat to the community,” Meagher said, adding that Trenda also posed a risk of interfering with the administration of justice.
The prosecutor asked for $750,000 in bail.
Defense attorney Rachael Tiller noted that Trenda’s only prior criminal matter was for a juvenile offense, and said he was unable to post bail.
Tiller said Trenda was willing to stipulate to not driving as part of his conditions of release.
Judge Paul Strophy set bail at $75,000 cash or bond, in consideration of Trenda’s indigency status and lack of warrant history, along with the nature of the allegations, which Strophy said gave the court concerns for community safety.
Strophy also ordered that Trenda be prohibited from driving while the case is pending.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Trenda was allegedly responsible for two hit-and-run collisions Wednesday night, both on Interstate 5.
The first occurred at about 10:40 p.m. near Exit 68 when Trenda “attempted to drive in between two vehicles that were next to each other in the left and right lanes,” according to the affidavit.
About five minutes later, WSP troopers learned of a two-car collision at Exit 72. Troopers arrived to find a black 2004 Ford Excursion SUV lying on its side and blocking the exit off-ramp. A silver 2004 Honda Accord was reportedly nearby, partly in a ditch.
According to a WSP press memo, the vehicles had traveled off an embankment on I-5 before coming to rest on the off-ramp. Both were totaled in the collision.
Witnesses at the scene reported the driver of the Honda had fled on foot, and said they’d seen the Honda pass traffic on the right shoulder of the road before the collision.
“They also stated the silver Honda was driving at a high rate of speed and weaving through traffic aggressively,” the affidavit said.
According to the WSP memo, Tara R. McIlmoil, 41, of La Grande, Oregon, was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital, along with the six children inside her SUV.
The children ranged from 6 to 16 years of age. Troopers said McIlmoil suffered a fractured vertebra in the collision.
Police reportedly found the suspect hiding in someone else’s vehicle outside Bethel Church in Chehalis. According to the affidavit, Trenda allegedly admitted to being the driver of the Honda and said he’d had a psychotic episode and had taken “too much medication,” including Adderall and a “sleeping medication.”
Trenda reportedly said he believed this “affected his ability to drive.”
The defendant was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital before being booked into the Lewis County Jail Thursday morning.
According to the affidavit, troopers said law enforcement intended to perform a blood draw on Trenda at the hospital, if given legal permission to do so.
It was unclear in the affidavit whether the blood draw was conducted.
On Thursday, Trooper Dakota J. Russell thanked the community members who called 911 to report information on the location of the fleeing suspect, as well as the agencies that assisted at the crash site and during the search. Those included the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, Centralia Police Department, Chehalis Police Department and Napavine Police Department.
“I would also like to thank Fire District 5, Fire District 6, Chehalis Fire and Toledo Fire for their assistance as well,” Russell said in an email to The Chronicle. “Having great relationships with our partner agencies is key to keeping our communities safe.”
Trenda is scheduled for an arraignment on Aug. 13.
