Bike-theft suspect hangs self in hospital

A Longview man who faced multiple charges for allegedly stealing a string of expensive bicycles throughout the Northwest killed himself Saturday morning in a Longview psychiatric hospital where he'd been admitted after two previous suicide attempts.

Jacob J. Bos, a 35-year-old podiatrist, was the subject of a Page 1 story Friday in The Seattle Times.

Longview police spokeswoman Deborah Johnson said Bos committed suicide at St. John Medical Center in Longview at 6 a.m.

Bos hung himself with a belt in a hospital bathroom, according to Dr. Richard Kirkpatrick, who owns the clinic where Bos worked.

Bos had pleaded not guilty in Cowlitz County Superior Court to 12 counts of possessing or selling stolen bikes.

Seattle police arrested him last month after they traced him through DNA on a coffee cup left at a Fremont bicycle shop, where he'd allegedly stolen a $6,800 bike, and on another occasion, a $5,500 bike. According to charging papers, Bos was accused of going to high-end bicycle shops across the Northwest, taking expensive bikes for test drives and never bringing them back.

Bos had an earlier felony conviction in Ohio, where he stole another man's identity to buy furniture. DNA from that case was used to link him to the Seattle bike theft.

Randy Querin, public-affairs specialist at St. John Medical Center, wouldn't say whether Bos was a patient in the psychiatric unit, citing privacy laws.

However, he said suicidal patients are placed in a locked unit and put under surveillance until they show they are no longer a danger to themselves or others.

St. John Medical Center has 22 beds and is one of a few facilities in Southwest Washington offering inpatient psychiatric care, he said.

After Bos moved to Longview two years ago, he got involved in cycling in a big way, showing up at bike races in Oregon and joining the Three Rivers bike club in Longview. Police said he'd sold three stolen bikes to members of the club.

Bos, a native of Utah, was respected for his skill and bedside manner at the clinic where he worked.

"We had so many patients who said we don't care what his issues were with the bikes, we still want to see the guy," said Steve Trotter, the administrator who hired Bos. "He was great with patients. The whole thing is just strange."

Kirkpatrick said, "He was a very bright, cheerful, happy, intelligent doctor. The patients loved him. The staff loved him. ... It's such a tragedy."

Seattle Times staff reporter Jonathan Martin contributed to this report. Information from The Seattle Times archives was used in this report. Christine Willmsen: 206-464- 3261 or cwillmsen@seattletimes.com. David Heath: 206-464-2136 or dheath@seattletimes.com.