Tag: bellingham police
By Caleb Hutton
A routine traffic stop turned into an assault on two Bellingham police officers Wednesday, Feb. 20.
The 22-year-old man, identified as Beau Parker Raethke, was pulled over at 4:30 p.m. in the 2200 block of Pacific Street. Here’s the verbatim report taken from Bellingham police logs:
A-1 was stopped for not wearing his safety belt. A driver’s license and warrant check revealed that A-1′s license was revoked and there were two outstanding warrants for his arrest. A-1 resisted arrest and swung his fists and kicked at two officers before his was taken into custody. He was booked into Whatcom county jail for two counts of Assault 3rd Degree, Resisting Arrest, Driving While License Revoked in the 2nd Degree and on the two outstanding Bellingham Municipal Court warrants charging him with Fail to Appear/Comply on DUI charge and Fail to Appear/Comply on DV-Assault 4th Degree charge. He was also issued traffic infractions for Failing to Wear Safety Belt, Operating and Uninsured Vehicle and Failing to Carry Vehicle Registration.
Arrested: RAETHKE, BEAU PARKER Age: 22 (DOB: May 4 1990 )
In June 2011, Raethke led police on a 70 mph chase down Woburn and Texas streets. After he was caught and arrested, he told police “he ran because he didn’t have any money and could not afford a fine,” according to court records. He was convicted of reckless driving — and court-ordered to pay more than $1,000 in fines and fees, on top of a 20-day jail sentence and a year on probation.
His listed address at the time was in the 3000 block of Orleans Street, a few blocks from the scene of Wednesday’s arrest.
By Caleb Hutton
Bellingham police released a few new details Wednesday morning, Jan. 23, about the hit and run that nearly cost a Western Washington University freshman her arm.
For background, here’s the story we ran about the crash on Otis Street that sent Mackenzie O’Brien, 18, to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
The new news?
- No suspects.
- Detectives now say up to 15 people may have been crossing the street at the time. (As the original story states, Justine Phillipson, the other girl who was hit, said it was a group of 10.)
- Officers pinpointed the point of impact: About 100 feet north of Abbott Street.
- The driver turned left onto East Maple Street.
- Police don’t think anyone else was in the suspect’s car.
- The car should have fresh front-end damage.
- Witnesses are still being tracked down and interviewed.
- People should contact a specific policeman with any tips: Bellingham Traffic Officer Henry Ortega, 360-778-8628.
Also, KOMO News aired an interview from O’Brien’s hospital bed in Seattle. Here’s a link. It’s good to see she’s doing better.
And here’s the full press release from police spokesman Mark Young.
The Bellingham Police Department is asking for your help following a hit and run crash that injured two pedestrians. One of the pedestrians, an 18 year old female victim was transported to Peace Heath St. Joseph Medical Center with serious injuries. That victim was subsequently transported to Harborview. The second victim, a 19 year old female, sustained non-life threatening injuries that did not require hospitalization.
Witnesses told officers that at about 11:00 p.m, Friday night, a group of about 12-15 pedestrians were in the process of crossing Otis Street 100 feet north of Abbott Street. A car with its lights out, traveling between 25-35 mile per hour towards East Maple Street struck two of the pedestrians. The driver continued down Otis never stopping then was seen making a left turn onto East Maple.
Witnesses told officers that they believe there was one occupant in the vehicle, the driver. Officers are still interviewing witnesses for a description of the driver. The vehicle has been described as an older gray “boxy” style car. As a result of this crash, the suspect vehicle will have fresh front end damage.
Anyone with information concerning this hit and run is asked to please call Traffic Officer Henry Ortega 360-778-8628.
By Caleb Hutton
ASAP Towing posted some photos of the wreckage of Sunday night’s car crash into the Bellingham Municipal Court building.
Here are three angles of the damage, courtesy of the tow company. The second image shows the car after it was pulled from the hedges.
For more photos, see ASAP’s Facebook page.
By Caleb Hutton
BELLINGHAM — A Bellingham woman was accused of shattering the glass pane of a picture frame over her husband’s head Monday afternoon, Jan. 14.
Lisa Pattison, 33, got into an argument with her husband at 1:50 p.m. in their home on Carolina Street , said Bellingham police spokesman Mark Young.
The argument escalated. She picked up a 7-by-8-inch picture frame and hit him over the head, breaking the glass pane on the crown of his head, according to police. The husband had some minor injuries but didn’t need medical aid.
Photos of the evidence showed the picture frame was empty, aside from the shards of glass, Young said.
Pattison was booked into jail on suspicion of domestic violence assault in the fourth degree. She was released Tuesday morning after promising to show up for her next court date.
By Caleb Hutton
A 16-year-old boy told Bellingham police he was robbed of cash by two armed men over the weekend.
The boy claimed he was walking at 1 p.m. Friday, Jan. 11, in the 4100 block of Cordata Parkway, when two men approached him and demanded cash, said Bellingham police spokesman Mark Young. The men’s faces were covered. One suspect flashed a weapon, possibly a gun, so the boy handed over his money.
A family member prodded him to report the crime to police, Young said. He called 911 the next day, describing both assailants as 5-foot-8 black men with a thin to medium build.
Victims of crimes should call police as soon as possible, Young added.
—
In other robbery news, at the time of this posting, police have yet to track down the victim of a possible mugging at a Ferry Avenue apartment complex late Friday.
Here’s the nut graph of the story that ran in Sunday’s paper.
A resident living on the 3000 block of Ferry Avenue, off Bill McDonald Parkway, called 911 around 10:30 p.m. saying he may have witnessed a robbery while looking out of his third-story window, said Sgt. Dave Richards. The caller said he heard someone say “don’t take my phone” and saw three black males confronting a white male in the parking lot. The caller said he thought one of the black males was wearing a white mask and pointed a handgun at the victim.
The Bellingham Police Department, including a K-9 unit, responded to search for the suspects, but didn’t find anyone, including the victim.
Western Washington University issued a pair of campus alerts while police searched for the suspects.
By Caleb Hutton
BELLINGHAM — Downtown thrift shop Wise Buys will be closed for several weeks because of sprinkler damage from an upstairs apartment fire, the store’s operators announced Thursday, Dec. 20.
Firefighters and police are investigating how the apartment caught fire Saturday. The flames were contained to a single unit, but the water caused a lot more damage than the fire or heat, said Roger Christensen, acting chief of the Bellingham Fire Department.
He wouldn’t say if investigators suspect arson.
“Arson is a finding,” not a label that can be put on an active investigation, he said. Christensen declined to release much information this week. I’ll be checking back soon.
Here’s most of the press release from Wise Buys.
The water damage occurred Saturday, Dec. 15 in response to a fire in an apartment above Wise Buys, located at 1224 N. State St.
Wise Buys is operated by volunteers from Lydia Place, a nonprofit, community-based serving homeless people since 1989. Since Wise Buys is completely run by volunteers, all of its proceeds go to Lydia Place.
“The repairs will be covered by insurance,” said Emily O’Connor, executive director of Lydia Place. “However, much of our merchandise was either damaged or related to the holidays, so we could use donations of gently used clothing and household items when Wise Buys reopens in January.”
Updates about Wise Buys will be available on Lydia Place’s Facebook page and by calling Lydia Place at (360) 671-7663. The public is asked to withhold donations of clothing and household items until the store reopens.
Wise Buys originally was launched in 1974 as Y’s Buys and run by the Bellingham YWCA until Lydia Place assumed operations in the early 1990s.
Lydia Place provides a six-month, multifaceted residential program that supports women and children in their transition from homelessness to independence. Lydia Place also offers support and services for local residents in subsidized housing.
For more information about Lydia Place, call (360) 671-7663 or visit www.lydiaplace.org.
By Caleb Hutton
It was busy weekend for the cops in Bellingham. Here are a few newsworthy things that won’t be in the print edition of the paper.
First, the death investigation of a 25-year-old Ferndale man.
Dylan James Boatman was found unresponsive at 1:55 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 15, in a parking lot in the 1100 block of Railroad Avenue. He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police.
A Monday morning autopsy found no inflicted trauma on his body, said Whatcom County Medical Examiner Gary Goldfogel. The death is still under investigation, pending the results of toxicology tests.
Second, a domestic violence assault led to a brief police standoff at 1:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 16. Here’s a verbatim summary of the police report, as transcribed by Bellingham police spokesman Mark Young.
A 23 year old female victim called 911 from a friend’s home stating her husband of several years had physically assaulted her by punching her while they were both in their car driving in Bellingham. The victim was able to get out of the vehicle and when chased by the suspect, she was able to get back into the vehicle to drive off leaving him behind. The victim drove to a friend’s home to call 911.The suspect was located at the couple’s home in the 1300 block of Ellis Street. Officers could see that the alleged suspect was home but he refused to come to the door. A search warrant was served on the residence and a K-9 was deployed when the suspect continued to refuse lawful commands.The suspect, 43 year old Kenneth Eagle, was taken into custody, transported to hospital for treatment then booked into Whatcom County Jail for Assault 4th DV [domestic violence].The victim in the assault refused medical treatment. Alcohol is believed to be factor.
And third, here are a few details we didn’t have in this story about a stabbing on East Sunset Drive.
Police said Christopher R. Morissette attacked a 2001 Hyundai car that was stopped for traffic. Several gouges from a 3- to 4-inch serrated blade caused about $900 in damage. Nobody was hurt in the bizarre and apparently random attack on the car. Young noted the suspect was “acting drugged out.”
By Caleb Hutton
Via police scanner traffic.
Here’s the story of a man arrested on suspicion of attacking a stranger on North Samish Way, told 140 characters at a time.
Man, 30s, w/afro, punched woman in the face at the Coachman Inn, 120 N. Samish, #Bellingham. “He may have broken her nose.” EMTs en route.
— Bellingham Crime (@bhamcrime) December 8, 2012
At first, from what I could tell, a couple of cops on bikes were pedaling to the scene, guessing it might take them 20 minutes.
“The female’s saying she doesn’t know the black male who punched her.” Man may have mental issues. He’s hanging around the Chevron station.
— Bellingham Crime (@bhamcrime) December 8, 2012
Right here, dispatchers switched into emergency mode.
Witnesses reporting man has something in his hand. Could be a black pistol. He’s randomly charging at citizens near a nail salon on Samish.
— Bellingham Crime (@bhamcrime) December 8, 2012
Cops looking for a “black male, gray T-shirt, blue jeans, carrying a bag and possibly a black pistol” near Coachman on Samish. #Bellingham
— Bellingham Crime (@bhamcrime) December 8, 2012
“Suspect’s in the office.” But unclear which office. #Bellingham
— Bellingham Crime (@bhamcrime) December 8, 2012
Suspect detained. Can be heard shouting in the background. Witness now heading over to identify him. #Bellingham
— Bellingham Crime (@bhamcrime) December 8, 2012
By Caleb Hutton
From Bellingham police spokesman Mark Young:
In reference to this post, the skateboard is a black Zero board with a grim reaper and a sticker on the bottom. It has orange wheels.
So if it shows up in a pawn shop, or if you see it on the street, call Bellingham police at 360-778-8800. After hours, call 911.
No additional reports were filed in the past 24 hours, so Young couldn’t provide any further description of the suspects.
By Caleb Hutton
A Bellingham man was robbed of his wallet and skateboard late Monday, Dec. 3, after a group of four people beat him on East Holly Street, police said.
The 27-year-old man was riding in the 500 block of East Holly when a group of people — two men and two women in their late teens or early 20s — stopped him to ask if he had any money, said Bellingham police spokesman Mark Young.
He told them no, argued with them for a bit, and then tried to ride away. They stopped him and beat him, taking his wallet and skateboard in the scuffle, Young said.
No weapons were used. The man’s injuries were minor, according to police.
Few details were available about the suspects, aside from the rough estimate of their ages. A detective is following up on the case, and hopefully will get better descriptions of the suspects from the victim. As of the latest report, police had not spoken to any eyewitnesses, Young said.
As a policy, Bellingham police don’t say how cash robbers got away with.
If you have any tips, call the Bellingham Police Department at 360-778-8800. After hours, call 911.
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