By Caleb Hutton
Update at 7:48 p.m. Mark Ortiz was booked into jail a few minutes ago on charges of felony harassment (usually meaning death threats), fourth-degree assault and resisting arrest.
BELLINGHAM – A police standoff that has blocked traffic for hours on Northwest Avenue was sparked by a domestic violence assault Saturday afternoon, June 23.
Mark A. Ortiz assaulted a relative about 3 p.m. at his home in the 4200 block of Northwest Avenue, said Whatcom County Sheriff Bill Elfo.
Then he barricaded himself inside the home.
As of 6:40 p.m., the time of this post, the standoff is ongoing. Deputies are using “extreme caution,” Elfo said, because it’s believed Ortiz may have a handgun.
SWAT team members are now plotting their next move, Elfo said. They’ve set up a perimeter and are detouring traffic.
Here’s a link to a wanted poster put out by Bellingham Police in May 2011, when Ortiz was arrested on investigation of assault, harassment and unlawful imprisonment charges. He has an extensive criminal history.
Caleb gets all the cool stories.
Elfo’s a douche.
Ortiz looks like a douche too.
Why is my name appearing as ‘Camille’, btw?
Oh, I get it; this is a blog.
Well that’s fine; at least I can rest assured that my comments won’t be deleted.
A person is never booked into jail on charges,
they are booked under investigation of charges since only the prosecutor can actually file criminal complaints.
A reporter can write down whatever they want but the courts have an entirely different standard.
If I was a reporter, i’d learn the difference.
Hey, Rube!
Hmmm… extensive criminal history… whatever happened to 3 strikes and you’re out? I know. I know. Then how about 8 jailable crimes and you’re out. It’s not like you’re improving. Some people will never play by the rules… never play nice. They either don’t know how, don’t care or have anger management issues.
To continue: On the first few jailable charges let’s get them help. How about a class called “Societal Adaptation”? You must pass it or you go directly back to jail. You must abide by it or you go directly back to jail. A sort of Tough Like. If ya gotta break rules for your own self-centeredness then break the small ones: cheat at golf, go 2 mph over the speed limit, tell your sig other she/he looks fat in that outfit, steal dog poop you find laying around…
..it always amazes me that these people actually *chose* to barracade themselves in ther home. Like, what are they thinking, that the police will just go “yup, OK, we’ll move along” and life will go on…sheesh. Felony issues aside, from a common sense perspective they show great potential as a member of the City Council…..
Donuts are calling. Then they can escape from their house. Go to the donut shop…
Donuts, lol.
And now he is out on bail. What about the 2 kids that are living there. And not to mention Mark Ortiz’s girlfriend who lives there is his first cousin. Kids aren’t his though. thank god…..someone needs to do something. It’s not safe for them there.
so what is up with this? our justice system is a bunch of crap. justice does not exist.
Umm, donuts. Now I’m hungry. Didn’t they just arrest this guy a few months ago for the same thing? Wasn’t he the guy breaking out windows with a hammer and then the police showed up and he was threatening them? I guess they should have left him to think about it a little longer last time.
no. instead they let him out on bail so he can keep doing it over and over. was there when they posted bail. the messed up thing is that his dad bailed him out and last year he beat the poor old dude’s face in with a cell phone. well i guess when his dad’s in a cast and ortiz is in jail they’ll both realize that maybe a nice vacation behind bars is what he needs.