Bail set at $8,000 for suspect in Thurston County DUI, hit and run

A Thurston County judge set bail at $8,000 Tuesday for David J. Lee, a 27-year-old Olympia man suspected of driving drunk and crashing into another vehicle in a supermarket parking lot.

Lee was arrested Saturday and booked into the Thurston County Jail. He appeared Tuesday before Superior Court Judge Erik Price.

At a Monday hearing, Judge James Dixon found probable cause for four charges: injury hit and run, driving under the influence, possession of a stolen motor vehicle and driving with a suspended license.

Court documents give this account:

A Thurston County deputy responded to reports of a car crash at WinCo Foods, 7540 Martin Way E. The victim said she had been turning into the parking lot when she saw a silver flash, and her car was struck.

She said her car spun 180 degrees, and the silver car sped off.

Witnesses in the parking lot couldn’t provide a license plate number, but several people called to report a car driving recklessly in the area and provided a plate number.

The car was found parked in a nearby driveway, with the driver sitting inside. The car wasn’t running, but the keys were in the ignition, and music was playing. The back bumper of the car had been removed and was sitting on the back seat of the car. The front bumper also was damaged.

The driver, identified as Lee, was arrested. He denied driving the car and told deputies that another man, also named David Lee and wearing the same clothes as he had on, had been driving.

Lee was slurring his words, and a deputy asked him how much alcohol he had consumed. Lee said that he had had 15 fifths of alcohol.

Two breathalyzer tests were administered at the jail. One result showed Lee had a blood alcohol content of .155, and the other showed a blood alcohol content of .153, according to court documents. Both results are nearly twice the legal limit for driving.

Lakewood police contacted the Thurston Sheriff’s Office and said that Lee’s sister had reported earlier that day that Lee had taken her car without permission, according to court documents.

This story was originally published February 9, 2016 at 8:36 AM with the headline "Bail set at $8,000 for suspect in Thurston County DUI, hit and run."