'Bump and Go Posse' suspect in Lakewood rehab: Investigation: Detective to see whether group described exists

OLYMPIA — A man who told police he is part of a group of people who smash their cars into other vehicles said he has been in alcohol treatment at the American Lake veterans hospital in Lakewood for the past three years, court papers state.

Gil Contreras, 45, told police about his alleged affiliation with the Bump and Go Posse after his arrest Tuesday on suspicion of three hit-and-run crashes in Thurston County.

A Thurston County sheriff's spokesman said Wednesday that a detective is trying to determine whether such a group exists.

Contreras told police he had been "drinking heavily" after he was arrested at the end of a police chase at Sixth Avenue and Sleater-Kinney Road in Lacey, court papers state.

When police approached Contreras' sport utility vehicle, he "was sitting behind the wheel with a smirk on his face," court papers state.

A Tacoma Municipal Court judge had given Contreras a deferred sentence after his convictions for a prior hit-and-run and a driving under the influence charge in that city, court papers state.

Thurston County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Joseph Wheeler said he assumes Contreras now will have to serve that sentence.

Wheeler said Wednesday he does not know the potential length of Contreras' sentence in Tacoma Municipal Court.

Contreras allegedly smashed into three occupied vehicles during three Thurston County crashes Tuesday. Occupants in two of the vehicles were hospitalized.

One, Tamara Paradee, described being rear-ended by a sport utility vehicle thought to have been driven by Contreras on Martin Way; she then was pushed 400 feet into the oncoming lanes of traffic on Carpenter Road.

Thurston County Sheriff's Lt. Chris Mealy said Wednesday that detectives have not been able to identify any hit-and-run crashes that might be attributed to any other purported members of the Bump and Go Posse.

During a court hearing Wednesday, Thurston County Superior Court Judge Christine Pomeroy found probable cause to order Contreras held at the Thurston County Jail on suspicion of second-degree assault, first-degree malicious mischief, driving under the influence, hit-and-run, and attempting to elude a police vehicle. Pomeroy set bail at $100,000.