In Washington State, the aftermath of a tragic accident has left one woman feeling a profound sense of despair as the accused in her partner’s death was released from jail after posting a $50,000 bail, a figure which some experts consider surprisingly low for the charges involved.

On July 2, Dennis “D.J.” Thornlow lost his life while riding his motorcycle in Anacortes, Washington. According to detectives, 49-year-old Josue Flores allegedly pursued Thornlow and intentionally ran him over, dragging him more than 50 yards across a parking lot. Court documents, as reported by Fox News Digital, state that Flores faces charges of felony hit-and-run, vehicular homicide, and second-degree murder.

Investigators assert that the tragic event unfolded as Flores closely tailed Thornlow, prompting the motorcyclist to swerve into a parking lot, where he subsequently fell. It was then that Flores allegedly ran over Thornlow and continued to drag him for 62 yards, as detailed in the probable cause affidavit.

The affidavit further describes how, after Thornlow fell from his motorcycle, Flores swiftly turned into the parking lot, angling his vehicle toward Thornlow and running over his head and leg. Surveillance footage reviewed by authorities reportedly captures Flores’ vehicle making a sharp turn towards Thornlow post-crash.

The emotional toll on Thornlow’s partner, Jordan Weeks, is palpable as she grapples with the release of the man accused of killing her loved one.

When questioned by police, Flores said it was a “rare occurrence” for him to leave his apartment because his neighbors were “constantly harassing him,” but needed to cash his social security check. Flores claimed Thornlow “tried to hit me” and became violent after their first interaction at an intersection. However, Flores’ claim of leaving the house was contradicted by his own mother, who allegedly told police he had already cashed the check.

Flores also claimed Thornlow was “yelling racial slurs” at him and making death threats, adding the motorcyclist was wearing a “Nazi-type helmet.” When asked by police why Thornlow would act so violent, Flores said he presumed it was because he’s Hispanic and had a run-down car, according to the court document, adding that he claimed Thornlow kept following his car too closely. Police found no evidence corroborating Flores’ claims about Thornlow.

“I was shocked. I didn’t understand. I thought, did I hear him wrong?”

— Jordan Weeks, Thornlow’s partner

After leaving the parking lot, Flores allegedly told authorities his car began shaking and he thought he was out of gas, so he pulled over to “figure out how to get to the Anacortes Police Department to ‘own it.’” When police asked what he meant by wanting to “own it,” Flores responded: “All I know is that he crashed. He hit the curb of the sidewalk,” adding that he had “hit a tree or something.”

Flores never admitted to running over Thornlow or dragging his body during his interview with police, according to the affidavit. Two witnesses told police it appeared that Flores’ sedan “was chasing the motorcycle,” the documents state.

Judge Thomas Verge set bail at $50,000 during an Aug. 19 hearing on the second-degree murder charge despite a higher request from prosecutors, records show.

Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani told Fox News Digital the fact a judge would set bail for second-degree murder at $50,000 is “shocking.”

Dennis “D.J.” Thornlow smiles with his partner, Jordan Weeks. (Jordan Weeks)

“It really shocks the conscience,” Rahmani said of the judge’s bail decision, adding he’s never seen anything like this in his career.

“This is extraordinarily low for any type of bail and certainly, in a case like this, there should be no bail at all,” he said. “So the fact that the victim’s family and the public, they’re outraged, I think they’re justified. This is someone that should be spending the rest of his life in prison, and instead, he’s out a free man.”

Records reviewed by Fox News Digital also show Flores previously served time in prison after being found guilty. In 1996, Flores was found guilty of fourth-degree assault and was sentenced to one year in jail, with 335 days of that sentence suspended. Charging documents say Flores shot a BB gun at someone riding a bike.

Dennis “D.J.” Thornlow was allegedly run over by Josue Flores. (Jordan Weeks)

In March 2022, he was charged with assaulting a health care worker. A probable cause affidavit alleges that Flores punched a health care worker in the head “4 or 5 times” while he was trying to administer medicine.

According to the affidavit, Flores admitted to hitting the individual in the head because “[the worker] makes me nervous.” That case was dismissed, documents show.

A neighbor told detectives in summer 2025 that one time, when talking with Flores about a family member in jail, he said: “if someone f—– with me, they wouldn’t live to tell about it.” Other neighbors at his old apartment complex told detectives that Flores would “often speak about his past gang involvement with SUR13,” the court document shows.

Jordan Weeks, Thornlow’s partner, told Fox News Digital she felt “hopeless” when she heard Verge rule that Flores’ bail was only set at $50,000.

“I was shocked. I didn’t understand. I thought, did I hear him wrong?” Weeks said. “I think I was trying to have faith and I still do have faith, but that was a big crack.”

Weeks said that she’s known Thornlow for six years, adding that he has always treated people with respect and said Flores’ accusations don’t add up.

“He was friends with everybody. You know, it doesn’t matter what you looked like or what background you had or, you know, if you, it didn’t matter the type of person you were. He always met you with kindness and respect. And it just doesn’t sound, it sounds unfounded to me. It doesn’t sound like the DJ that I know. And I know him very well,” Weeks said of Flores’ accusations.

Dennis “D.J.” Thornlow was allegedly killed by Josue Flores. (Jordan Weeks)

She said that Thornlow had a 13-year-old daughter whom he had a “very beautiful relationship” with.

“He loved me enough to see that I was going through something, working towards my career and having a very stressful year. So he tried to make sure that in other areas he could support me,” Weeks said. “I could tell even before I met his daughter, how much he loved and cared about her. Being a father is one of the most important things to him.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Flores’ attorney and a representative of Verge for comment.