A student poisoned by a roommate: a poisoned suspect from Lehigh University tried to flee his country, said prosecutor

A former Lehigh University student accused of poisoning his roommate obtained $ 200,000 bail and hoped to be deported to China to avoid prosecution, a prosecutor said Thursday. Yukai Yang, 23, was back in the local jail after the authorities learned about this plan and brought him back from US detention (ICE) to the Northampton county jail in Pennsylvania.

Prosecutors are now asking a judge to keep Yang locked up without bail, calling him a "legitimate risk of flight."

Meanwhile, they are studying whether a second student was also poisoned with thallium.

This is at the beginning of the investigation. It was discovered essentially after the publication of these charges, "said prosecutor John Morganelli.

" Yang Yang said in a statement that because he was a foreign national living illegally in the country where his visa the student had been dismissed, he could post a bond, waive his right to an eviction hearing and abscond. . "

He thought Yang's mother had deposited bail in cash last week.The court documents indicate that the person concerned was Hua Shi." Yang's lawyer did not immediately return a call for comment on Thursday.

charged on December 20 with poisoning food, beverages and mouthwash of his roommate with thallium for several months, causing bouts of dizziness and vomiting to the victim, Juwan Royal Authorities said.

Investigators believe Yang bought the odorless, colorless chemical, once sold as rat poison, said Morganelli.

He was charged in April of vandalism and ethnic intimidation after Royal k, found racist graffiti in the room.The police said that Yang had written the word -N and "GET OUT OF HERE" to the marker on Royal's desk in their room at Warren Squa and had also ransacked the television and the bed of Royal, reported the Morning Call.

The roommate has since graduated, but continues to suffer the effects of poisoning, authorities said. The two men had lived together for several years without incident, according to the authorities.

Yang is charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, ethnic intimidation, and other charges.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for next week.