Sex offender in 100+mph chase facing ‘3rd strike’ after Finley rape arrest

A convicted sex offender faces life in prison for allegedly tying a woman up and raping her in the back of his SUV.

Timothy Hounshell, 57, of Richland, is accused of attacking the 25-year-old woman who was sleeping in his SUV after they spent the day fishing. He then led police on a 30-mile chase into Oregon.

Now, he is wanted on a $1 million nationwide warrant from Benton County for first-degree rape. He is currently being held in the Umatilla County jail on charges related to running from police.

If he’s convicted of rape, Hounshell could face a mandatory life sentence under the state’s “three strikes” law. The state only requires two violent sex offenses to trigger the law, and he has a 2014 conviction for second-degree rape.

It’s not clear how long it will take for him to be transferred back to Benton County to face charges.

Along with his previous conviction for rape, Hounshell has several other convictions including one for failing to register as a sex offender, and several for theft and burglary.

Hover Park rape

Hounshell and the victim went fishing on May 28 and traveled to Hover Park. The wildlife area south of Finley has access to the Columbia River, is largely desolate and connects with other remote areas.

The victim has known Hounshell for about six to eight months and had gone fishing with him in the past, court documents said.

They spent the day fishing and when the sun went down, she climbed into the back of Hounshell’s SUV and went to sleep, court documents said.

She woke up to find her wrists and ankles tied and her clothes cut off of her with a folding knife while Hounshell allegedly raped her, court documents said.

She told investigators that Hounshell carried a machete and she was scared that he would “cut her head off.”

She allegedly convinced him to let her use a restroom, and after he cut her free, she ran into the darkness with her phone. She called her brother to tell him to call 911 and report that she had been raped. She also called 911 to report the crime.

“Victim A stated that as she ran, she could see a light from a powerful spotlight that the defendant carried with him, and she felt he was trying to look for her,” court documents said.

She told investigators that she only knew that she was “in the middle of nowhere” and they were near the water in some trees, court documents said.

When deputies arrived in the park, they spotted Hounshell’s SUV fleeing and found the woman. They were eventually able to link the vehicle to a recently purchased 2007 Buick Rainier.

100 mph into Oregon

Deputies found the SUV and tried to stop him, but he sped away. Deputies and later Washington State Patrol troopers began to chase Hounshell as he continued south on Interstate 82 and reached speeds of 100 mph.

“During the pursuit a male called and repeatedly told police to back off, or he will kill himself,” court documents said. “The male caller did tell dispatch that he has a machete, knives and pistols.”

Officers with the Washington State Patrol, Oregon State Police and the Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office took over the chase when he crossed the state line, said the release.

Police eventually were able to force the car to stop, and Hounshell was arrested on investigation of reckless endangerment, reckless driving and attempting to elude police