Bail set at $250,000 for Woodland Trail stabbing suspect

A judge set bail at $250,000 for a 36-year-old man arrested in connection to a Feb. 10 stabbing on the Olympia Woodland Trail.

Jasen M. Tester, who is transient, appeared before Thurston County Superior Court Judge Erik Price on Wednesday afternoon. The judge found probable cause for one felony charge: first-degree assault while armed with a deadly weapon.

Deputy Prosecutor Brandi Archer said that Tester’s criminal history includes a robbery conviction, and he had seven outstanding warrants when Olympia police arrested him Tuesday. She said that if Tester were released, he would likely commit more crimes and fail to appear in court. She asked that bail be set at $150,000.

Office of Assigned Counsel attorney Phil Griffith, who represented Tester, said that his client probably wouldn’t be able to post any amount of bail.

“It wouldn’t matter if the court imposed $150,000 or $1.5 million,” Griffith said. “I don’t think he would be able to post it.”

Price opted to set bail higher than Archer’s recommendation, based on the allegations in the case. He said Tester posed a threat to community safety — especially since Tester is suspected of attacking the victim randomly.

According to Olympia police, officers responded to the scene about 3:10 p.m. Feb. 10 after a 28-year-old victim used a cellphone to report he had been stabbed multiple times in the torso. He said he was sitting beside the trail, near the Boulevard Road access point, after a long walk when a man approached and began stabbing him.

A passing nurse administered aid until medics arrived. The victim told police he didn’t know his attacker, and the stabbing was unprovoked, police said. He was able to provide a description of the suspect.

Police searched the trail, but the suspect wasn’t found.

On Tuesday, an Olympia officer located a man on the Woodland Trail who matched the suspect’s description. The man had a camp nearby. He had an outstanding warrant related to a harassment case, and the officer arrested him, according to court documents.

The stabbing victim identified the attacker in a photo lineup, according to court documents.

Police located the man’s tent and obtained a search warrant. Inside, they found a knife and clothing matching the ones the victim said the attacker had at the time of the assault.

This story was originally published March 2, 2016 at 12:48 PM with the headline "Bail set at $250,000 for Woodland Trail stabbing suspect."