The bereaved partner of a motorcyclist who lost his life in Washington state expressed feelings of despair as the man accused of causing his death was released from custody on a $50,000 bail. Experts have criticized this amount as being notably low.
On July 2, Dennis “D.J.” Thornlow tragically died while riding his motorcycle in Anacortes, Washington. According to court documents accessed by Fox News Digital, investigators allege that 49-year-old Josue Flores deliberately ran over Thornlow with his vehicle, dragging him over 50 yards across a parking lot. Flores faces charges including felony hit-and-run, vehicular homicide, and second-degree murder.
Authorities reported that Flores was tailing Thornlow too closely when the motorcyclist veered into a parking lot and fell. At this point, Flores is accused of intentionally driving over Thornlow and dragging his body for 62 yards, as stated in the probable cause affidavit.
The affidavit further describes how, after Thornlow fell, Flores quickly maneuvered his car into the parking lot, aiming directly at Thornlow before running over his head and leg. Surveillance footage reviewed by investigators allegedly depicts Flores making a sharp turn towards Thornlow after the motorcycle crash.
Dennis “D.J.” Thornlow pictured with his partner, Jordan Weeks. (Jordan Weeks)
In a police interview, Flores described his outing as a “rare occurrence,” claiming he ventured out to cash his social security check due to persistent harassment from neighbors. He alleged that Thornlow attempted to hit him and acted violently during an earlier encounter at an intersection. However, Flores’ explanation was contradicted by his mother, who reportedly informed police that 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?”
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.
