Trans suspect charged with ramming U-Haul into California Coast Guard base released on bail

The trans-identified male charged with assaulting federal officers after allegedly speeding a U-Haul truck toward a California Coast Guard base in late October has been released on bail.

Brendan Munro Thompson, also known as Bella Castillo, was released on bail on Friday, per KQED. The 26-year-old is will reside with his parents in Southern California and attend an outpatient mental health treatment program while awaiting trial. 

Thompson was granted bail in a hearing that was sealed to the public on Thursday, and federal prosecutors sought to pause Thompson’s release, saying they planned to appeal. Prosecutors argued that Thompson was a "danger to the community" and should be kept in custody while awaiting trial, citing Thompson’s attempt to flee detention at the hospital on the night of his arrest. 

The government’s motion read, "The conditions of release currently set — which include release to a ‘partial hospitalization plan’ — are insufficient to ensure the safety of the community." Thompson had reportedly attempted to flee officers while at Highland Hospital after asking to use the restroom. Thompson was tackled and handcuffed to a gurney. Thompson was transferred to John George Psychiatric Hospital and placed on an involuntary 72-hour psychiatric hold. 

District Judge Casey Pitts had granted a temporary delay until 4 pm on Friday and vacated it on Friday morning, writing that it was not warranted because Thompson had been released at 2:30 in the morning on the same day, and "a judge had ‘appropriately tailored’ the conditions of release ‘to avoid risk to the community’" pending appeal. 

Thompson has been charged with assault on a federal officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon stemming from an October 23 incident. An affidavit stated that on the night of October 23 at Coast Guard Base Alameda, a person, later identified as Thompson, "drove a U-Haul truck onto the eastern part of the bridge leading to Coast Guard Island. The affidavit stated that the truck, allegedly driven by Thompson "accelerated rapidly backward towards the line of USCG personnel, who backed up further as the U-Haul gained speed and continued to close the distance with them."

"Several USCG personnel appeared to be in the direct path of the U-Haul truck as it approached. As the U-Haul truck approached the USGC personnel, the truck’s engine revved loudly as it accelerated, and the USCG personnel—who were unable to determine the number of people in the truck—shouted orders to the driver to stop. When the driver did not obey the orders to stop and continued to accelerate backward and to rapidly approach the line of USCG personnel, the personnel defensively fired their weapons at the U-Haul truck."

Several Coast Guard personnel who had been present on the bridge stated "that they feared for their lives as the U-Haul accelerated toward them, and they could not determine the number of people in the vehicle or if anyone was in the cargo area. They feared that the truck— which continued to accelerate and to close the distance with the USGC personnel to an estimated 15 to 20 feet—would strike them or their colleagues, and some feared the possibility that the truck was a vehicle borne Improvised Explosive Device, or that additional people possibly concealed in the cargo area of the truck would open the roll-up rear cargo door and open fire on them. Not all of the USCG personnel noted the same reasons for being in fear for their lives, but all stated at least one of the above listed reasons."

Thompson had been taken to the hospital with a gunshot wound to the neck, during which an Alameda Police Department officer who was guarding Thompson said that "Thompson identified as transgender, and goes by the name 'Bella.'"