Man accused of drive-by shooting being held in lieu of $50,000 bail

The man was apprehended by police after a car chase in North Whidbey a few days later.

A 21-year-old man is accused of shooting at a friend during a dispute at a Libbey Road residence Dec. 17, hitting a house while a woman and a child were inside, according to court documents.

Nobody was injured in the incident that left several bullet holes in the home.

Wednesday, Island County Superior Court Judge Vickie Churchill found probable cause existed to believe Riley P. Thompson committed the crimes of drive-by shooting, attempting to elude police and possession of methamphetamine.

Deputy Prosecutor Eric Carman noted that Riley, although young, has a criminal record that includes convictions for unlawful possession of firearms and drug possession.

Churchill set Thompson’s bail at $50,000.

Reports by deputies with the Island County Sheriff’s Office indicate that Thompson and another man got into a fight because they both felt they were in a dating relationship with the same woman.

When the other man allegedly became aggressive, Thompson pulled out a handgun and started shooting at him from inside his car as the man ran toward the house, according the reports.

A few days later, a deputy located Thompson driving on North Whidbey.

The deputy attempted to stop the car, but Thompson sped away, not stopping at a stop sign before turning onto the highway, the report states. He sped north, crossing over the roundabout center divider at Northgate Drive, and turned onto Cornet Bay Road as deputies followed, lights and sirens activated, the report states.

The pursuit ended when Thompson’s car struck a curbed island in the parking lot at the boat launch and disabled his car, the deputy wrote.

The deputy searched Thompson and found a baggy containing suspected meth, the report indicates.