Oregon man in court in Vancouver parking lot shooting

UPDATE: Mr. Thomas’ case was exonerated in Clark County Superior Court in August 2017. His case was sent to Clark County District Court for charges of aiming or discharging a firearm and unlawful display of a weapon, court records show.

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A Boring, Ore., man accused of firing a handgun in a Vancouver grocery store parking lot Wednesday night made a first appearance Thursday in Clark County Superior Court.

Treston J. Thomas, 21, appeared on suspicion of first-degree assault and reckless endangerment. However, the prosecution asked the judge to find probable cause to support an allegation of second-degree assault.

Vancouver police responded shortly after 9:30 p.m. for a report of someone brandishing a firearm. Officers located the suspect, later identified as Thomas, in a silver Mazda 3 in the drive-thru of Burgerville, 2200 E. Fourth Plain Blvd. Officers saw Thomas get out of the passenger’s seat and walk away from the car, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

Ruslan Tukhasvili told police the incident occurred minutes before in the parking lot at Fred Meyer, 11325 S.E. Mill Plain Blvd., where he saw Thomas with a firearm. He said Thomas was upset about a missing cellphone, so Tukhasvili tried to calm him down and helped search for the phone, the affidavit states.

When they couldn’t find the phone, Thomas drew his firearm and shot it in the parking lot. Tukhasvili fled and called 911, court records said.

No one was injured.

While talking with police, Thomas said he needed the firearm for protection and that he fired it to scare away an older man who confronted him. Police were unable to find any witness or evidence, however, to confirm his story, according to the court document.

Thomas’ girlfriend, who was driving, told police he became angry with her when he couldn’t find her phone and was acting erratically, the affidavit states.

During his hearing, Thomas’ bail was set at $10,000. He will be arraigned Aug. 17.