The Camano Island man accused of driving an estimated 160 mph in an attempt to elude a state trooper on Interstate 5 in Lewis County last week made a second preliminary appearance in Lewis County Superior Court on Monday.
According to court documents, Jeanpierre M. Grose, 23, is a fugitive from justice in California.
Though the exact details are unclear, Grose’s fugitive status may explain why he chose to flee from a Washington state trooper at such high speeds on Oct. 22.
Grose was previously charged with one count of attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle, a Class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison and $10,000 in fines.
He made his first preliminary appearance in Lewis County Superior Court on Oct. 23.
During the pursuit on I-5, the trooper estimated that Grose was traveling as fast as 160 mph, or perhaps faster, according to court documents filed by the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office.
Grose was eventually halted by spikes deployed by a Lewis County Sheriff’s Office deputy. He reportedly fled on foot and hid in the trees, where he was apprehended by the trooper.
During the latest preliminary hearing, Judge Paul Strophy ordered to maintain the $35,000 bail amount requested by the state of California. This is in addition to the $50,000 bail set by Strophy in the eluding case.
The judge scheduled a review of the fugitive case for Oct. 30 — the same date as Grose’s separate arraignment — so that the court could track the two cases together.
Grose will look to retain private counsel.
