The romantic partner of Dennis ‘D.J.’ Thornlow, a motorcyclist who died in a violent collision in Washington, has expressed feelings of ‘hopelessness’ after a judge set bail at $50,000 for the suspect, Josue Flores, who is charged with second-degree murder. The decision has sparked outrage among the victim’s family and the public, with some legal experts calling it ‘shocking’ and ‘unprecedented.’
Thornlow, 42, was killed on July 2 as he rode his motorcycle in Anacortes, Washington. Prosecutors allege that Flores, 49, intentionally ran over Thornlow and dragged his body across a parking lot for over 50 yards before fleeing the scene. Court documents obtained by Fox News Digital detail Flores’ alleged actions, including how he turned into the parking lot and ran over Thornlow’s head and leg after the motorcyclist fell off his bike. Surveillance footage, reviewed by investigators, reportedly shows Flores’ car sharply turning toward Thornlow after the crash.
Flores was previously arrested over 40 times, including for a 1996 fourth-degree assault charge, which resulted in a one-year jail sentence with 335 days suspended. In 2022, he was charged with assaulting a healthcare worker and admitted to hitting the individual in the head during treatment. These prior incidents have raised concerns about Flores’ criminal history, with neighbors describing him as someone who often spoke about his past gang involvement with SUR13.
Judge Thomas Verge set bail at $50,000 during an August 19 hearing, despite a higher bail request from prosecutors. Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani criticized the decision, stating it was ‘shocking’ and that ‘there should be no bail at all’ for a case involving second-degree murder. ‘This is extraordinarily low for any type of bail,’ he said, adding that the victim’s family and the public are justified in their outrage.
Thornlow’s partner, Jordan Weeks, described her emotional state after learning of the bail decision. ‘I was shocked. I didn’t understand. I thought, did I hear him wrong?’ she said. ‘I think I was trying to have faith and I still do have faith, but that was a big crack.’ She emphasized that Thornlow had always treated people with kindness and respect, and that Flores’ accusations did not align with the man she knew. Weeks also highlighted Thornlow’s deep love for his 13-year-old daughter and his support for her well-being.
Flores admitted to leaving his apartment to cash his Social Security check but claimed that Thornlow ‘tried to hit me’ and became violent after their initial interaction. However, his own mother reportedly contradicted this account, stating he had already cashed the check. The court documents show no evidence corroborating Flores’ claims about Thornlow’s behavior. In his interview with police, Flores denied running over Thornlow and claimed his car began shaking, leading him to pull over to ‘figure out how to get to the Anacortes Police Department to ‘own it.’’
Despite the legal proceedings and public scrutiny, Fox News Digital has reached out to Flores’ attorney and a representative of Judge Verge for comment, but no statements have been released. The case has reignited discussions about bail practices in severe criminal cases and the justice system’s approach to individuals with extensive criminal histories.