BIRCH BAY — A Birch Bay woman must serve three months in jail for attacking her son with a butcher knife.

Deanna D. Vandyk, 37, was sentenced last week in Whatcom County Superior Court.

Here’s the post I wrote up in February.

The woman and her son got into an argument late Tuesday, Feb. 26, at a home in the 4500 block of Petticote Lane. The 37-year-old mom, Deanna D. Vandyk, struck him several times before letting up for a moment, said Whatcom County Sheriff’s Sgt. Larry Flynn.

But then Vandyk grabbed a large butcher knife, flew into a rage, screamed that she wanted to kill the boy and lunged forward, Flynn said. He managed to wrestle the knife from her. The teen didn’t suffer any stab wounds.

[Court records show he threw the knife into a sink.]

The boy’s grandmother witnessed the altercation. Deputies were called to the scene via 911 and a life alert. The boy had some minor injuries from the first barrage of blows, but wasn’t hurt otherwise.

Vandyk pleaded guilty to third-degree domestic violence assault, a felony. A harassment charge was dropped. She had no criminal history.

Vandyk’s son now has a no-contact order against his mom.

Roger Christensen, Bellingham’s interim fire chief, will stay on the job for another year, city officials announced in a press release Monday, May 13.

From the City:

Bellingham Interim Fire Chief Roger Christensen announced his “un-retirement” last Friday, letting his employees know that rather than retiring in June, he will be staying on for up to another year at the request of Bellingham Mayor Kelli Linville.

Christensen said he and Linville decided together that, with the range of complicated public safety issues the City is involved with, the best course of action is for him to remain interim chief for another year and re-evaluate options during that time.

“I am proud to and look forward to working with you all for another year,” he told the department’s employees.

The issues Christensen is involved with include on-going Whatcom Medic One negotiations with Whatcom County and area fire districts, City Council deliberations about fireworks, consolidation of fire/EMS related services with neighboring departments, and discussions with the Whatcom County Sheriff and Port of Bellingham about collaborating on emergency management services.

Linville said she is grateful that Christensen is willing to postpone his retirement for a year. While a recent recruitment process attracted many excellent, highly qualified candidates, Linville said Christensen will provide much-needed continuity at this crucial time.

“He has extensive experience in the Bellingham Fire Department and in our community,” Linville said. “He is a skilled, capable leader and during this time of transition has continued providing high-quality, responsive and caring public safety services,” Linville said. “He is involved in many key regional issues and initiatives, and I am very grateful that he is willing to continue this important work for our community.”

Christensen was appointed Interim Fire Chief last fall to replace former Fire Chief Bill Boyd, who retired in October.

Back in January, Christensen told the Herald he didn’t plan to apply for the permanent job, instead electing to retire when the mayor found a successor.

“That could be as early as this June, or it could be next June,” he said at the time.

In a way, it looks like he got both guesses right.

BELLINGHAM — Police are investigating a suspected robbery that happened last week in Rock Hill Park.

A 15-year-old Bellingham boy told officers he was walking into the park at 7:30 p.m. May 9, when someone grabbed him from behind and threw him to the ground, said Bellingham police spokesman Mark Young.

The suspect took the boy’s wallet and skateboard. Citing department policy, Young declined to say how much cash was in the wallet. The teen didn’t suffer any serious injuries.

Investigators don’t believe it was a random attack.

No further details had been released Monday, May 13, and police declined to released a description of the suspect.

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Text courtesy of the Blaine Police Department, with minor edits for style.

Wednesday, May 1

8:22 a.m. According to witnesses who called police, a woman became upset with the boyfriend in whose home she was residing on D Street. After they argued and he set out for the day’s work, she sat down and imbibed a spirituous breakfast. Once fortified she stood up and set to work demolishing boyfriend’s apartment, not letting her intoxication impair her ability to ventilate drywall, smash glass, and disappear on foot before police arrived. The investigating officers catalogued the mess, obtained statements from the witnesses and victim, and will seek a warrant for the 40-year-old suspect if she is not soon located.

12:57 p.m. A resident called police when she saw a man behaving suspiciously and possibly stealing mail from boxes along D Street. Officers contacted the man a short distance away. He explained that he had tried going to Canada to see his girlfriend, but was denied entry by Canadian Immigrations. The gent denied taking any mail and allowed officers to check his belongings to verify the fact. The male was mail free, and set off to continue his journey.

3:47 p.m. A resident mistakenly thought he could play music at ear piercing volume for his entire neighborhood to enjoy so long as he turned it off at 10 p.m. He threw open this doors and windows and brought his theory in to practice, and his neighbors brought members of the constabulary to his door in short order. Officers contacted the audiophile, explained to him the Municipal Code regarding noise disturbances and offered to provide him with a copy. He chose to curtail his experiment rather than test it in court.

7:29 p.m. A resident called police for assistance when she learned that her estranged spouse had entered her home in her absence, without permission and absent any authority. Officers investigated and found evidence including witnesses who confirmed the intrusion. The 47-year-old man was arrested for criminal trespass involving domestic violence and booked in to jail.

Friday, May 3

11:35 a.m. Police investigated a report of littering and theft of service violations being committed by customers of a shipping and receiving business on H Street. Patrons reportedly discard packaging materials into overflowing public and private trash receptacles in the neighborhood rather than at the store. Officers contacted the business and advised them of the Municipal Code requirements for trash and recycling service, and the problems being caused as the evidence of the success of their business accumulates around the area.

2:51 p.m. U.S. Customs and Washington State Patrol called for assistance when five over-sized vehicles hauling equipment from Canada applied to enter the US on SR-543. The drivers had the necessary permits, but their loads were too tall to fit under truck route’s D Street overpass. Blaine officers worked with cooperative motorists to clear a path for the trucks from the border to a parking facility in Blaine.

3:57 p.m. An officer noticed the license tabs on a passing car were expired by over a year. He turned about to contact the driver, but the car darted down a side street. When the violator and vehicle were found lingering without purpose in a business parking lot a few blocks away the driver claimed the car belonged to a relative. However the registration was still in the name of a third party who’d sold it over a year earlier. The matter was resolved with a citation to the driver for expired vehicle registration and no proof of insurance, and the vehicle was impounded as it could not be legally operated on the roadway.

4:17 p.m. A Blaine officer stopped a semi-truck and tanker combination on Interstate 5 for making an illegal and unsafe lane change. A Department of Licensing inquiry revealed that the British Columbia truck driver’s driving privilege in Washington had been suspended for unpaid tickets. The trucker was arrested for the criminal license violation, cited and released with a mandatory court appearance date. The semi-truck’s owner in British Columbia delivered a licensed driver by taxi to avoid having the rig impounded.

4:38 p.m. 911 operators received a hang up call from a cell phone in Blaine. When they traced the call back a woman answered the line and said everything was alright, but the dispatcher could hear children crying in the background. A police officer contacted the resident. She did not know how her phone had called 911, but was able to explain that the kids were upset about an injured animal they had passed as they were driving home.

Saturday, May 4

9:30 a.m. U.S. Customs officers interviewed a person who had driven to the port and found that the traveler’s privilege to drive was suspended. They called Blaine Police, who confirmed the information and arrested the 40-year-old Vancouver, B.C., resident. He was released with a mandatory appearance date in municipal court, and called a friend to come drive his vehicle.

10:46 a.m. A Blaine resident contacted an officer to turn in a credit card he found in a business parking lot. The card was placed into found property and the officer notified the issuing company of the recovery.

2 p.m. U.S. Border Patrol agents interviewed a man who illegally crossed the border in to the US near Peace Arch Park, and discovered that he was wanted on an arrest warrant issued by authorities in Yakima. The agents turned the 23-year-old Mexican citizen over to Blaine officers, who arrested him on the warrant and booked him into jail for transport to Yakima.

2:10 p.m. An anonymous passerby called police to express concern about two little girls walking along Marine Drive with bare feet and no adults nearby. An officer found the energetic tomboys celebrating the warm spring Saturday with a fishing expedition. They accepted a ride home across town in a police car, once they were assured they could bring along the treasures they’d found on the beach.

7:57 p.m. Police and Border Patrol agents responded to a report of three young men walking near D and Allen, one of them sporting a firearm. Officers contacted the trio, who were hiking away from homes in the area to safely shoot their BB gun. The activity is not permitted in the city, so an officer returned the rifle to the owner’s parents at home while the boys continued to play, without their shooting iron.

8:35 p.m. Police patrolling downtown followed the thumping bass of amplified music two blocks to its source at the skate park, where a group of boarders had opened their car doors and trunk to maximize the output of their music system. The sound was a suitable serenade for shredding, but dissonant accompaniment to the evening’s peaceful seaside sunset. The conductor of the cacophony was cooperative and cut the chords.

Sunday, May 5

1:09 a.m. A couple was spending the night in a Blaine motel when the intoxicated male half found upsetting information on his sleeping girlfriend’s cell phone. He woke her up to talk about his angst, and moments later he was using his own phone to call 911 for rescue. The arriving officers found that no physical assault had occurred, though it was apparent the gentleman had found the extreme limit of his partner’s patience with his inebriated insecurities. Both halves declined assistance with relocation.

Monday, May 6

10:29 a.m. Employees at a bank reported suspicious behavior by a man who kept repeatedly driving past their branch. Police located the motorist, who explained that he was playing a cell phone game that involved finding locations for points. He was advised of the concerns that his actions were raising and he accepted a suggestion to avoid playing games around financial institutions.

12:04 p.m. A British Columbia resident came to Blaine Police for assistance when he discovered that a car which he had purchased in California had then been reported stolen by the seller. A Blaine officer contacted the dealer and police in Torrance, Calif., to resolve the issue. The stolen vehicle watch-for was cleared from law enforcement databases and the vehicle was released to its B.C. purchaser.

10:45 p.m. Police responded to a residence where a family member was having delusions and yelling in the house. When officers met with the victim he explained he’d not slept in about a week and was feeling pretty uncomfortable. An aid unit was called to the scene and confirmed the man was not suffering a medical emergency. He was not a threat to himself or others, and felt better after spending some time in the fresh air. In the end he declined further assistance and opted to instead quiet down and go to bed. Both he and his family were advised to call again if the problem reawakened.

11:45 p.m. At about midnight a man called asking police to locate a feline whose caterwauling was awakening the neighborhood. Officers tracked the yowling to a well cared for house cat which was none too pleased to find its evening exploration interrupted by the spring loaded door of a humane varmint cage. The resident who had installed the trap on his property had no intention of collecting cats, so police freed the grateful orange tabby and it shot silently albeit haughtily off into the night.

Tuesday, May 7

9:11 a.m. Officers responded to a passerby’s report of a collision on Peace Portal north of Hughes Avenue, and found a two car crash which occurred when a northbound passenger car legally stopped prior to making a turn and was rear-ended by the car behind it. An aid unit evaluated and released one passenger at the scene, and the overtaking driver was cited for following too close. Officers helped the drivers exchange information for their insurance companies and arranged a tow for the overtaking car. Those involved were all from the Blaine area.

12:18 p.m. Dispatch reported an intrusion alarm activation at a house in Semiahmoo, and police responded. The first officer at the scene found the owner was at home, safe in the company of his alarm system installer. The installer reported that the system was in test mode and should not have triggered a call. The officers agreed wholeheartedly with that assessment and went on to other calls.

Seattle police blogger Jonah Spangenthal-Lee posted some handy advice this afternoon that could help you to avoid getting arrested one day.

Link.

It’s all informative stuff, but number eight is an especially good thing to keep in mind when faced with a split-second decision.

8) Definitely don’t punch a police officer in the face when he tries to help you up.

As Spangenthal-Lee notes, in this particular incident the officer wasn’t seriously hurt.

BELLINGHAM — Bullets struck two homes on Aldrich Road late Tuesday, May 7, in an apparently random drive-by shooting, according to the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office.

A couple at a home on Aldrich, near the intersection with Lange Road, heard two loud pops and something hitting the house at 8:57 p.m., said Whatcom County Undersheriff Jeff Parks. They thought someone had lit off fireworks.

One of their neighbors heard, and thought, the same thing.

Dents were found on the walls of both houses. Deputies recovered evidence from the scene suggesting someone had fired a handgun. Parks said neither house is occupied by gang members or criminals, and he had no idea why they might be targeted.

One victim saw a car driving south at the time of the apparent shooting, possibly a newer Subaru station wagon. Another witness saw a “white or silver foreign-made car.”

Anybody with tips should call the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office at 360-676-6650. For urgent tips after hours, call 911.

BELLINGHAM — A 1-year-old child from Bellingham fell from a second-story apartment balcony Friday evening, May 3, leaving him with injuries not considered life-threatening.

A parent was supervising the child on the balcony at 5:50 p.m. in the 2800 block of West Maplewood Avenue, when he got beyond the adult’s reach, climbed through a railing and fell onto the concrete below, said Bellingham police spokesman Mark Young.

Officers interviewed several witnesses who heard a shout of “No!” before the child slipped through the rails.

Police reports don’t document how the infant landed. By the time officers arrived, paramedics had strapped him to a backboard. He was conscious and crying, Young said. He was airlifted to Seattle Children’s Hospital, the nearest hospital that specializes in the treatment of children. An update on his condition wasn’t available Monday.

Investigators found no evidence of a crime.

The weekend forecast for Bellingham calls for the warmest weather so far this year, and many boaters are anxious to test out their sea legs.

I mean, let’s just take a moment to admire this, from the National Weather Service:

Now, back to serious news, the U.S. Coast Guard wants you to remember the water’s not going to keep pace with the rising air temperatures.

Here’s the press release:

SEATTLE ─ With recreational boaters preparing their boats to take to the waters of the Pacific Northwest, the 13th Coast Guard District reminds boaters and paddlesport enthusiasts to take the proper precautions.

While air temperatures are forecasted to be in the upper 70s, water temperatures remain the upper 40s. At that temperature, a person that enters the water without the proper protective equipment can become hypothermic, exhausted and lose consciousness in less than 30 minutes.

The Coast Guard also advises mariners to know the weather conditions and dress for the water temperature rather than air temperature. While air temperatures may be rising as the seasons change, the water temperature throughout the Pacific Northwest takes a considerably longer amount of time to reach similar temperatures.

The Coast Guard recommends that boaters wear a life jacket at all times while underway. The law states that you must have a life jacket for every person onboard, but it is much more difficult to locate, access, or don a life jacket at the moment an accident occurs.

A marine band radio is the best way to contact the Coast Guard or marine response agencies if you are in distress on the water. When a Mayday is sent out via VHF-FM radio, it is a broadcast, not just a one-to-one party distress call; any nearby boaters can hear the distress call and offer immediate assistance.  Channel 16 is the international distress channel and should be used for emergencies only.

The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and U.S. Power Squadron conduct free vessel safety examinations that verify the presence and condition of the safety equipment that is required by state and federal regulations. These courtesy examinations are conducted by trained specialists that give recommendations and provide copies of their evaluations. Upon completion of a successful examination, boaters also receive decals for their vessels that show that they have undergone a vessel safety check.

To find the closest vessel examiner, visit www.safetyseal.net, and click on “I Want a VSC.”

FERNDALE — Two young men have pleaded guilty to felonies for a botched effort to shoplift Grey Goose vodka from the Ferndale Haggen.

Tytan Vincent David Jameson, 20, and Eric Jon Robinson Jr., 19, swiped two bottles of vodka each from the store at 5:20 p.m. Feb. 17.

From the original story:

A teenage employee confronted them near the front doors. Jameson tripped as he started running away, so the employee was able to catch up to him. Robinson spun around and threatened to stab the employee, according to police. Then he hit the teen with one of the vodka bottles, shattering the glass and fracturing the employee’s arm, (Ferndale Police Lt. Bill) Hatchett said.

[Editor's note: Court records say the shattered bottle caused "pain and injury," and the employee needed treatment at the hospital. But documents don't say if the arm was broken.]

Both suspects escaped, briefly, by driving off in a Ford Freestar van. An officer patrolling the area pulled them over about two blocks away on LaBounty Drive.

Robinson and Jameson, residents of the Lummi Reservation, were booked into jail on suspicion of robbery in the first degree. Police didn’t find knives or any other weapons on them.

Robinson pleaded guilty last week to second-degree robbery, agreeing to serve a sentence of four months in jail. The court also gave Robinson a three-word order: “Do not drink.”

Jameson admitted to second-degree burglary. He must serve a three-month sentence.

They have to repay $178.50 to Haggen. More restitution, for the victim’s medical bills, remains to be determined.