Washington Man With Violent History Gets Only $50,000 Bond for Deliberately Running Over Motorcyclist

MOUNT VERNON, WA - Trespass on the grounds of the US Capitol? Held without bail. Deliberately run over a motorcyclist in Washington State? $50,000 bail. 

Such is the case of Josue Flores, who “intentionally” ran over Dennis “D.J.” Thornlow on July 2 as he was riding in Anacortes, Washington, Fox News Digital reports. Court documents obtained by the outlet show that Flores, 49, ran over Thornlow and dragged him with his car for over 50 yards across a parking lot. Flores has been charged with felony hit-and-run, vehicular homicide, and second-degree murder. 

The incident began, according to authorities, when Flores was allegedly following Thornlow “too closely” when Thornlow “swerved” into a parking lot, falling off his bike as he did so. Investigators said that Flores then “intentionally” ran over Thornlow and dragged him 62 yards across the parking lot, the probable cause document reads. 

After Thornlow fell off the motorcycle, Flores then “quickly” turned right into the parking lot and aimed his car directly at him, running over his head and leg. That version of events was confirmed by surveillance video reviewed by authorities showing Flores' car turning sharply toward Thornlow after he fell off his bike. 

Flores told police that he rarely left his apartment because his neighbors were allegedly “constantly harassing him" but that he needed to cash his Social Security check. Flores said that Thornlow “tried to hit me” and became violent after a previous interaction at an intersection. However, Flores’ version of some events was later contradicted by his mother, who told police he had already cashed the Social Security check. 

Flores claimed Thornlow was “yelling racial slurs” at him and made death threats. He claimed Thornlow was wearing a “Nazi-type helmet.” Police asked Flores why he thought Thornlow might be allegedly acting in such a manner, and he said he “presumed” it was because he was Hispanic and driving a run-down vehicle, the court documents said. He said Thornlow was following his car too closely; however, investigators found no evidence corroborating Flores’ claims. 

Flores told police that after he allegedly ran down Thornlow, his car began “shaking” and he thought he had run out of gas, so he pulled over. He said he was trying to “figure out how to get to the Anacortes Police Department to ‘own it.’” Police asked him to clarify what he meant by “own it,” and he responded, “All I know is that he crashed. He hit the curb of the sidewalk,” adding that he had “hit a tree or something.” 

While Flores never admitted running down Thornlow or dragging him under his vehicle, two witnesses told police that it appeared Flores “was chasing the motorcycle,” according to court documents. 

Flores had his bail set at $50,000 during an Aug. 19 hearing for second-degree murder, despite prosecutors seeking a much higher amount, records show. 

That caught the attention of a former federal prosecutor, Neama Rahmani, who told Fox News Digital that it is “shocking” that a judge, in this case Judge Thomas Verge, would set bail at such an amount for second-degree murder. 

“It really shocks the conscience,” Rahmani said of the low bail amount, noting he had never seen anything like that in his career. 

“This is extraordinarily low for any type of bail and certainly, in a case like this, there should be no bail at all,” he told Fox News Digital. “So the fact that the victim’s family and the public are outraged, I think they’re justified. This is someone that should be spending the rest of his life in prison, and instead, he’s out as a free man.” 

Flores is no stranger to the criminal justice system. Records reviewed by Fox show he previously served time in prison after being found guilty of fourth-degree assault. He was sentenced to one year in jail, with the majority of that sentence — 335 days — suspended. According to charging documents reviewed by Fox News Digital, he shot a BB gun at someone riding a bike. 

In May 2022, he assaulted a health care worker, with a probable cause affidavit stating that he punched a health care worker in the head “4 or 5 times” while he was trying to administer medicine. 

Flores admitted to hitting the individual in the head, claiming he (the worker) “makes me nervous.” Despite the admission, that case was dismissed. The criminal justice system in a blue state is in action, apparently. 

According to a neighbor, he told investigators that earlier this summer, when talking about a family member in jail, Flores said, “If someone f*cks with me, they wouldn’t live to tell about it.” Other neighbors said Flores would often brag “about his past gang involvement with SUR13,” court documents revealed. 

Thornlow’s long-time partner, Jordan Weeks, said she felt “hopeless” when she heard the Judge release Flores on only $50,000 bail. 

“I was shocked. I didn’t understand,” she told Fox News Digital. “I thought, did I hear him wrong? I think I was trying to have faith, and I still do have faith, but that was a big crack.” 

Weeks spoke glowingly of Thornlow, saying she’s known him for 6 years and that he's always treated people with respect. She said that Flores’ characterization of him didn’t add up. 

“He was friends with everybody. You know, it doesn’t matter what you looked like or what background you had, or, you know, if you, it didn’t matter the type of person you were,” Weeks said. “He always met you with kindness and respect. And it just doesn’t sound, it sounds unfounded to me. It doesn’t sound like the DJ that I know. And I know him very well,” she said of Flores’ accusations. 

She further said Thornlow had a 13-year-old daughter, with whom he had a “very beautiful relationship.” 

“He loved me enough to see that I was going through something, working towards my career, and having a very stressful year. So he tried to make sure that in other areas he could support me,” Weeks continued. “I could tell even before I met his daughter, how much he loved and cared about her. Being a father is one of the most important things to him.” 

Fox News Digital said they had reached out to Flores’s attorney and a representative for the low bail-setting judge, but had not yet heard back.