[1]The man named in court documents as Huber Juarez-Arellano approaches the defense table for his bail hearing in Lewis County Superior Court.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – The individual accused of stealing a pickup truck from a Chehalis dealership during a test drive – by brandishing a toy gun – and leading law enforcement officers on a wild chase into Cowlitz County appeared before a judge this afternoon where lawyers discussed his bail.
But first, Lewis County Superior Court Judge James Lawler asked if his name was indeed Huber Juarez-Arellano.
“I don’t know who was messing with my ID,” the young man replied.
Lawler told him all he wanted to know at that point, was if that was his name.
“Yes,” he said.
A Lewis County Sheriff’s Office commander yesterday identified the arrestee as Huber (no middle initial) Juarez-Arellano, 21, from Vancouver, Washington. A different spokesperson from the office this morning said he was Huber J. Arellano. The Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office reported he is Huber Juarez-Vasques, 22, of Kelso.
Defense attorney Joely O’Rourke told the judge her temporary client lives and works in the Salem, Oregon area.
When Lawler asked him did understood the charges, his rights and the potential penalties, long pauses followed before the heavily tattooed man responded affirmatively to each query.
“He does have some mental health issues he wants the court to consider,” O’Rourke told the judge.
Juarez-Arellano – as he is named in court documents, based on the identification left at I-5 Toyota – is charged with first-degree robbery, attempting to elude and first-degree malicious mischief.
The sheriff’s office says when he and a sales associate took a 2011 Ford F150 pickup for a drive yesterday morning, he pulled out what looked like a pistol and ordered the 46-year-old man out of the vehicle near Hamilton and Labree roads south of Chehalis. And then took off.
An Airsoft gun he allegedly threw out a window was recovered.
Charging documents speak of deputies and troopers pursuing on a backroad at 30 to 40 mph above the speed limit, with the suspect vehicle swerving into oncoming lanes and ignoring stop signs and other traffic warnings.
The Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office reported the truck ran through a fence near a weigh station south of Castle Rock. Charging documents describe part of the journey as cutting across the northbound lanes of Interstate 5, crossing the median and heading into the southbound lanes before driving through a barricade onto a frontage road.
“Frankly, everyone’s lucky someone did not die,” Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer told the judge.
Meyer asked for bail of $750,000, based in part on juvenile convictions of second-degree assault and harassment. O’Rourke asked for $50,000, telling the judge Juarez-Arellano works multiple jobs and supports his wife, three young children, his mother and his brother.
She also said he receives disability payments and appeared to qualify for a court-appointed attorney.
“He is denying he is the alleged suspect in the probable cause statement,” O’Rourke said.
Bail was set at $500,000. His arraignment was scheduled for next Thursday morning with Centralia lawyer David Arcuri to represent him.
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For background, read “Chehalis salesman carjacked during test drive” from Wednesday June 10, 2015, here [2]