Tag: Crashes
Posted by Caleb Hutton
Text courtesy of the Blaine Police Department, with minor edits for style.
Wednesday, Feb. 20
1:45 p.m. A driver was maneuvering his big commercial vehicle through a business parking lot when a tiny part of his truck briefly met with the very edge of the large metal roof awning over a drive up ATM kiosk on Martin Street. The contact was just enough send the roof crashing 10 feet down to the pavement, narrowly but sufficiently missing the vehicles parked around it. Officers responded to investigate the collision, and contacted the lucky car owners to move their autos out of harms way. The broken roof was removed and the ATM’s owner was advised that their cash machine was getting rained on.
Thursday, Feb. 21
12:30 a.m. A family left home on Garfield Street in a rush when their young son fell ill and needed to go to the hospital. They’d not been then long when they remembered that they had loaded a batch of freshly made bread dough into their hot kitchen oven before they left. They called for police assistance and an officer was dispatched to the residence. He contacted a neighbor for assistance, and found that the kitchen was still standing and the baked bread was not ablaze.
1:25 p.m. A police officer was dispatched to a service station on D Street when attendants there came across a counterfeit U.S. $50 bill. The officer impounded the fake note for the U.S. Secret Service, and contacted the person who had tried to pay for fuel with the bogus bill. The man explained that he had received the fake U.S. bill from a bank in South Surrey, B.C. The same service station intercepted another fake $50 bill later the following day.
Friday, Feb. 22
2:57 p.m. Curiosity and temptation got the better of a business employee who was cleaning a storage room and happened upon an old, unused panic alarm remote control. The crew member punched the button to see what would happen, and the device’s long life batteries did the rest. The company called their alarm company to cancel the resulting response by emergency services personnel, and the first arriving officer made sure that everything was all right inside in the Boblett Street business.
4:22 p.m. A commercial driver was backing his truck off of Boblett Street into a business driveway when the passenger side of his trailer struck a Blaine City light pole. The metal pole and light crashed to the pavement blocking the driveway of another business, but missed the people and vehicles in the area. Police arrived to investigate and document the collision. A crew from the city’s electrical department removed the broken pole, placed safety cones around the scene and secured the exposed wiring at the pedestal.
8:56 p.m. A service station employee became suspicious of activity occurring in the cab of a box truck parked on their lot. It was dark and the truck’s windows were all fogged up, but it appeared that the man and woman inside were engaged in an activity both friendly and energetic. The officer who was called to investigate found that either the calisthenics had concluded or had not been quite what they seemed. In either case the couple decided to leave the parking lot and wait elsewhere for their border crossing paperwork.
11:42 p.m. Just before midnight, police responded to a 911 call from a man stating that he had been robbed near the intersection of Third and G streets by a big guy who was possibly armed. It turned out that the big guy the caller referred was the police officer who had written the caller a traffic ticket an hour earlier. The caller then complained that he was employed by the Miss America Pageant and was paid in cash for his labors only to have the ticket writer steal his money. The responding officers tried to help the caller through his concerns but his mental state made that difficult. In the end he was warned that false reporting was a criminal offense.
Saturday, Feb. 23
1:54 p.m. A person called to report that loud music was being played near their home on Pintail Loop around 2:30 a.m. The person was advised to call when the music is actually being played so that police could respond and identify the offending location. The complainant advised that usually starts after his 7 p.m. bedtime and continues through the night. Patrol officers were advised of the complaint for their patrols.
2:35 p.m. Police received multiple calls for service from a elderly resident on Pintail Loop, but none of the events reported could be substantiated by investigation. An officer contacted relatives of the person to advise that their family member may be experiencing some age-related difficulties.
3:47 p.m. A U.S. Customs canine team working at the Peace Arch Port of Entry alerted to a car with California plates, which was re-entering the United States from Canada. Customs officers inspected the vehicle and an adult inside admitted to ownership of several grams of marijuana and a personal use amount of cocaine that was recovered from the man’s luggage. Blaine police were called to investigate, and arrested the 33-year-old Pasadena, Calif., resident for possession of cocaine. He was processed and released pending a mandatory court appearance.
8:03 p.m. Blaine officers responded with U.S. Border Patrol agents to a night time report that a man had walked south out of Peace Arch Park and headed down 2nd Street toward D Street through the residential neighborhood. When he spotted the approaching Border Patrol vehicles the man fled onto property adjacent to the street and tried to evade the responders. He gave up when he realized there were only two sides to the hedgerow he was using for cover, but four patrol cars surrounding him. The man admitted that he had entered the US without inspection, and the agents took him into custody.
9:17 p.m. A couple called police from Blaine Street to report that late the previous evening they had been awakened by the sound of someone jiggling the handle or lock on one of their home’s exterior doors. An officer responded and checked the front and back doors and lock sets, and spoke with the landlord. The information was shared with all officers for their patrols.
10:35 p.m. An officer contacted a resident who stated that two boys had been at his apartment complex possibly knocking on doors and running away. The officer had been in the area and spotted the duo as they ran across D Street, ducking through apartment complexes, and he found the boys nearby. They said they were out playing, but denied any knock and run activities. The pair was advised to head home for the night and they complied.
Monday, Feb. 25
8:53 a.m. An officer patrolling near the school campus stopped a motorist for speeding in the school zone. During the contact the officer found that the driver’s privilege to operate a vehicle in Washington had been suspended for several years, after he failed to take care of a speeding citation he received in Skagit County. The man was arrested for the criminal license violation and his vehicle was impounded. After processing he was released with a mandatory court date for driving with a suspended license, and a notice of infraction for speeding in the school zone.
Tuesday, Feb. 26
8:43 a.m. A man opening for the day at his business near Blaine Marina discovered that overnight thieves had broken in to two large storage sheds and prowled his property, stealing a quantity of metal parts and scrap. Police are investigating and descriptions of the suspects and their vehicle have been provided to all patrol officers. The extent of the loss is still being determined.
10:59 a.m. A business at Blaine Harbor report that a lock had been cut off of one of their cold storage freezer containers to their business overnight. The case is under investigation.
12:06 p.m. Following a report from a resident who suffered graffiti vandalism to his garage on D Street, an officer found several other instances of the same gang style tagging which occurred Monday night in to Tuesday morning, in an area along D and E streets. All of the property owners were contacted and advised of the damage so that they could immediately clean it off and prevent the vandalism from spreading. Meanwhile officers are searching for a fluorescent orange-fingered bad artist with poor spelling and worse social skills.
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.
Posted by Caleb Hutton
Text courtesy of the Blaine Police Department, with minor edits for style.
Wednesday, Jan. 2
11:20 a.m. Officers were dispatched to a two-vehicle collision involving the U.S. Postal Service and Federal Express on Boblett Street. The drivers were not competing for the quickest delivery, but their vehicles were inadvertently competing for the same piece of the parking lot and backed in to one another. The postal service vehicle sustained damage to the left door and window and the Fed Ex vehicle sustained cosmetic damage to its rear bumper. The cost of repairs exceeded flat rate charges. A report was taken to document the incident.
4:08 p.m. An F Street resident called police to report having been harassed by two women in a nearby apartment. An officer listened to the caller’s description of the event, and tried to advise the tenant that her neighbors had not crossed the line from freedom of speech to illegality on this particular occasion. The woman interrupted the explanation by hanging up on the officer before he could complete the conversation.
Thursday, Jan. 3
12:28 p.m. An officer stopped a vehicle on Peace Portal Drive for speeding. Upon contact the motorist admitted that he shouldn’t be driving, because the Department of Licensing had sent him a letter to that effect. The officer checked, and sure enough, the driver’s privileges were suspended for an unpaid ticket. The Blaine resident was cited for speeding, failure to provide proof of insurance and driving with a suspended license. A licensed driver in the vehicle was permitted to take the wheel.
Saturday, Jan. 5
1:55 a.m. An officer assisted U.S. Border Patrol field agents who contacted a man staggering along the center line on H Street Road. He was trying to walk home after drinking more than his share of alcohol over the evening. Rather than risk the man becoming some passing motorist’s unintended hood ornament, an officer transported the inebriate home and left him in the care of his adult brother.
12:29 p.m. An officer was dispatched when store employees apprehended a shoplifter at their business in the 1700 block of H Street. The 28-year-old Bellingham resident was contacted, arrested and released with a criminal citation and court date. His pilfered stash of pepperoni and energy drinks was recovered.
1:29 p.m. Police were dispatched to a report of a domestic violence incident in progress at a house on Adelia Street. The arriving officers found the dispute was between two adult brothers and not physical, yet. The men were separated and left the residence so they could cool off.
Sunday, Jan. 6
6:49 p.m. U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the Peace Arch intercepted a Friday Harbor man in possession of prescription medication without a prescription nor associated packaging. An officer arrested, cited and released the man pending his appearance in court.
7 p.m. On a dark rainy Sunday evening an officer on patrol came upon an unattended car stopped in a roundabout on D Street. The two wheels lying on the shoulder, a failed jack lodged under the car and an axle laying on the ground suggested a failed attempt at a tire change. The officer placed flares and traffic cones to make the scene safe and the car’s two occupants arrived on foot a short time later. The officer directed their tow truck driver in for a landing by cell phone, and the vehicle was removed within 15 minutes.
7:50 p.m. A motorist called police after crashing into a light pole in the 800 block of Peace Portal Drive on a dark, rainy night. The driver was not impaired, and simply did not see the light pole as he turned off the road into a business driveway. The driver had already moved the car to a nearby auto mechanic’s shop so the road was not blocked. The city light crew which responded estimated the damage to their pole to be about $600. The front of the driver’s Saab sedan had more than $750 in damage. Neither the driver or his passenger were injured, and the event was closed with a state collision report.
Monday, Jan. 7
8:22 a.m. A Fourth Street resident called police asking that someone talk to his wife about her habit of using his bank account debit card without his permission. The officer let the lady know that her husband had called the police. He explained to both the husband and wife that Washington was a community property state and their property was assumed to belong equally to both unless they took legal action to change that.
10:37 a.m. A resident found a young man sitting on Semiahmoo Parkway looking wet and cold and a long way from home. The resident picked the man up, got him some food, gave him some money, and brought him to the police station. Officers contacted the transient’s mother, and she arranged for a bus ticket to get her son from Bellingham to her home in Puyallup. A police employee donated some warm dry clothes for the teenager to change in to, and a reserve officer transported him to the bus station in Bellingham.
By Caleb Hutton
BELLINGHAM — Freeway traffic was slow-going Friday morning, Dec. 21, after a pair of crashes on both northbound and southbound Interstate 5 near the Sunset Drive overpass.
Here’s the picture that tells the story, courtesy of the state Department of Transportation.
Wow, crashes on I-5 near Sunset are right across from each other. #Bellingham twitter.com/bhamcrime/stat…
— Bellingham Crime (@bhamcrime) December 21, 2012
The northbound three-car crash came first at 11:20 a.m., said Washington State Patrol Trooper Mark Francis. Two people were taken by ambulance to St. Joseph hospital. Traffic was at a crawl for about an hour.
#policescanner: One injured person in crash being transported “with full spinal precautions” to St. Joseph hospital. #Bellingham
— Bellingham Crime (@bhamcrime) December 21, 2012
In the southbound crash, one car rear-ended another, lurching the second car forward into a third, Francis said. Two more people were taken to the hospital. Traffic cleared up a bit faster.
Troopers went to the hospital to continue the investigation. More details weren’t available at the time of this post.
By Caleb Hutton
For the full story on the 12-year-old girl hit by a truck, read here.
Car vs. pedestrian crash in 500 block of W Holly, by Maritime Heritage Park. Woman has a cut to her head. #bellingham
— Bellingham Crime (@bhamcrime) November 8, 2012
#policescanner: Car strikes 12-year-old girl on Azure Way, in the Kendall area. She was “launched about 20 feet into the air.” Aid en route.
— Bellingham Crime (@bhamcrime) November 8, 2012
“Car” was a white pickup. Girl bleeding from the nose. “Only visible injury is the nosebleed.” #whatcom
— Bellingham Crime (@bhamcrime) November 8, 2012
12yo girl struck by pickup is conscious, alert. No major injuries, but they’re taking precautions. “Vital signs look totally fine.” #whatcom
— Bellingham Crime (@bhamcrime) November 8, 2012
#policescanner: At a cluster of cabins in rural #Whatcom County, someone in Cabin 19 poked someone in Cabin 14 with a cane.
— Bellingham Crime (@bhamcrime) November 8, 2012
Medics race to report of a woman down, not moving, on sidewalk in #bellingham. Then they’re waved off. “Apparently it’s some kind of yoga.”
— Bellingham Crime (@bhamcrime) November 8, 2012
#policescanner: Infant fell 3 1/2 feet at home in 3900 blk of Nelson Dr, off Highway 9. EMTs en route. maps.google.com/maps?q=3900+ne…
— Bellingham Crime (@bhamcrime) November 8, 2012
The 3-month-old girl is OK. She was on a counter, in a car seat, when she fell. Landed on her belly. No obvious injuries. #policescanner
— Bellingham Crime (@bhamcrime) November 8, 2012
Posted by Caleb Hutton
Text courtesy of the Blaine Police Department, with minor edits for style.
Wednesday, Oct. 31
6:15 p.m. State officials notified Blaine police when they learned that an unresponsive four month old Blaine boy had been taken to hospital in Bellingham by his mother. Examinations by medical staff revealed the child had suffered serious past and present injuries. A police investigation was initiated as the child was airlifted to a trauma center in Seattle. The Department of Social and Health Services personnel, Seattle Police, Bellingham Police and the Whatcom County Prosecutor’s Office are assisting the investigation. On Nov. 2, the father of the child admitted to police he had thrown the infant to the ground on the afternoon of Oct. 31. The 31-year-old Blaine resident father was arrested and booked into on one charge of assault of a child in the first Degree. The victim remains in critical condition at the intensive care unit of a Seattle trauma center as the police investigation continues.
7:40 p.m. Police responded to a call of domestic dispute in progress at a residence on D Street. Officers arrived and contacted a couple who were out in their driveway arguing about what time to take their child trick-or-treating. Officers found no evidence of a physical altercation between the combatants, who felt the police and witnesses had overreacted by paying any attention to their public disagreement.
7:50 p.m. A banking customer called police after stumbling upon a woman’s body laying in front of the ATM machine. An officer responded to rouse the sleeping transient who was not at all happy about the interruption. The lady explained a Good Samaritan was fetching her a hamburger, and when done dining she might hail a bus to Bellingham. She was advised to not block access to the business which she was gracing with her presence.
Thursday, Nov. 1
8:26 a.m. A resident opened the trunk of her car at home on A Street and discovered that someone had left a modified-length shotgun and drug paraphernalia inside. She called police to express her surprise and dismay, and an officer responded to investigate and impound the contraband. The end result was a case report for review and prosecution of a teen-aged criminal gang member relative who had borrowed the vehicle.
1:07 p.m. A transient called dispatch to have an officer meet her downtown and give her a ride to Bellingham. An officer responded to meet the lady, and offered to escort her to the nearest transit stop and pay her bus fare. She was incensed at the idea of stooping to shared public transit and declared she’d rather remain in Blaine to enjoy the food and assistance being offered by its friendly residents.
4:34 p.m. A resident contacted Blaine police to report she’d found a canoe washed up on the shore of her property about one month ago. No one nearby had lost a canoe, and no recent reports of lost or stolen canoes had been filed with the police, sheriff’s office, or other agencies according to computer inquiries. The resident completed a “found property declaration” asserting her claim to the boat if the owner is not located. Police left the vessel with her for safekeeping during the waiting period.
11:30 p.m. An employee working late at the elementary school campus called police to report that he had found a person curled up on the ground outside of the building. An officer responded and checked the area with the caller, but the person had unfurled and drifted away into the chilly night.
Friday, Nov. 2
8:24 a.m. A young man borrowed his dad’s vehicle for a trip to the store, and set off down Adelia Street. Since he did not have a driver’s license and the van was not insured, he played it safe and pulled on his seat belt. The gent’s attention drifted while he wrestled with the restraint, and his vehicle drifted into the parking lane. Fate and physics took over from there. The force of the van crashing into a neighbor’s parked pickup spun the truck out into the street. It was still there when police responded to investigate the collision. The 24-year-old was cited for his violations, and officers helped the victim truck owner push the remnants of his rig up into his driveway.
11:49 a.m. High school officials called police when they caught two students on campus in possession of alcohol. An officer responded to investigate and interviewed the witnesses. A 15-year-old was arrested for possession of a 24 ounce can of beer, and his 14-year-old friend was arrested for being a minor in possession of alcohol by consumption. Both were expelled and released to their parents pending a summons to juvenile court.
3:31 p.m. A Blaine resident came to the police department to report he had made himself the victim a fraud after not passing up a deal too good to be true for a motor vehicle purchase on eBay. There is no good suspect information available, and a report was taken to document the victim’s $1,061 loss. The resident was advised to also file a report online with the FBI’s internet fraud division.
Saturday, Nov. 3
1:30 a.m. A resident on F Street heard his dog barking and checked to find two young men prowling his car, which was parked in the driveway. They fled when spotted, and were last seen running north on 4th Street. Blaine officers and Border Patrol agents searched the area for the pair, who were wearing dark clothing and looked to be 18 to 20 years old. The two made better chickens than thieves, as they got away but got nothing from the vehicle.
11:50 a.m. Customs & Border Protection officers at the Peace Arch called Blaine Police when they found ecstasy tablets in the vehicle of a British Columbia resident wanting to visit the United States. An officer responded to investigate, impounded the substance for analysis and forwarded a case report to the felony prosecutor for review of drug possession charges.
4:13 p.m. A daycare facility called police when a man came to pick up a child but was not on the authorized pickup list and could not provide any documentation about his parental rights. The mother was contacted and advised that she working on filing a threats complaint against the man with the police agency where she lives. Mom came to collect the youngster and the gentleman advised that he would return with parenting paperwork. He has not been back.
Tuesday, Nov. 6
5:25 p.m. A business manager requested police presence at an industrial building. An employee was suspended pending his termination of employment. He has been argumentative during the process leading up to his last day today. An officer was present for about 40 minutes at the business to keep the peace but the future ex-employee did not show up for work.
Posted by Caleb Hutton
Text courtesy of the Blaine Police Department, with minor edits for style.
Wednesday, Oct. 24
3:21 p.m. A tavern employee called police mid-afternoon to report a suspicious man in the area had been asked to leave their premises because he appeared to be high. The subject reportedly rode away on a bicycle with no seat. Police intercepted the transient about a block away and found that he was not impaired by drugs or alcohol, but appeared to possibly have minor mental issues. He was not wanted for any warrants, and was asked to pedal with caution on his journey out of town.
4:29 p.m. The 911 call center asked Blaine Police to search out and contact a bunch of boys with a motorcycle who were probably in the area of Sweet Road and the city limits. The dispatchers were tracking a series of calls from a “911-only’ cell phone: The caller would not talk to dispatchers but they could hear boyish chatter and a cycle in the background. A Blaine officer located the group of kids and their adult chaperone. They apologized and terminated the problem by moving the cell phone to a different pocket.
Thursday, Oct. 25
1:05 a.m. A concerned resident called police when they spotted a figure outdoors with a flashlight in the 300 block of E Street. Officers arrived and interrupted masked trespassers who were in the process of stealing fish from an outdoor landscape pond. The suspects were doing their best to dispose of the evidence by consuming it, much to the chagrin of the flashlight-wielding pond owner who was working to reset the breaker switch on his landscape security lighting. In the end the pond was filled with light, but not before the raccoons were filled with fish.
6:20 p.m. Police were dispatched to contact a parent who was reporting her runaway teenage daughter has returned home. An officer met the family and confirmed that the young lady was now physically home. The teen had violated her probation by leaving home without permission, and she was wanted on an juvenile court arrest warrant for an alcohol violation. She
was arrested and booked in to Juvenile Detention.
9:07 p.m. Blaine police were assisted by U.S. Border Patrol agents when they responded to a report of a disorderly person at a restaurant lounge in downtown Blaine. They contacted a belligerent drunk at the business, and learned from witnesses that the stranger had come in to the eatery and threatened to assault an employee for no apparent reason. The drunk directed his confrontational behavior toward the arriving officers as they investigated the incident. The problem was resolved by arresting the 35-year-old Bellingham resident and booking him in to jail for misdemeanor assault, disorderly conduct, public consumption of alcohol and resisting arrest.
Friday, Oct. 26
1:25 p.m. A young man on O’Dell Road was a little more than startled when a large mouse popped up beside him, and fixated on his unexpected visitor. Unfortunately the gent was driving his pickup at the time, and the next thing to pop up was the much larger light pole that he crashed in to while trying to come to grips with the rodent. Man and mouse survived the collision, but the motorist’s desire to exterminate his passenger was overcome by his need to first extinguish his vehicle, because a fire erupted following the wreck. The Blaine officer who arrived at the scene discovered that the truck had careened out of the city limits and in to the county’s jurisdiction before crashing and catching fire, so the final twist of bad luck in the long mouse tale fell to the sheriff’s deputy who had to respond and fit the entire adventure into a traffic collision report.
By Caleb Hutton
Reports of a downed power line at W College Way & Highland, by the bus stop. That’s at the top of the Ridge on @wwu‘s campus.
— Bellingham Crime (@bhamcrime) October 30, 2012
2-car crash at E Badger & Depot. Pickup in the ditch. Other vehicle on the road. Heavy damage. Injuries unknown. #lynden
— Bellingham Crime (@bhamcrime) October 30, 2012
One person still trapped in the pickup. #lynden
— Bellingham Crime (@bhamcrime) October 30, 2012
But sounds like even though he’s trapped, he’s OK. And everyone else is OK. #lynden #policescanner
— Bellingham Crime (@bhamcrime) October 30, 2012
Two 911 callers report 15yo boy walking around w/what appears to be a rifle at Main & Hamlin, near downtown #Ferndale playground.
— Bellingham Crime (@bhamcrime) October 30, 2012
#policescanner picking up random channel: “I’m gonna need some bird food. The container in the truck is empty.”
— Bellingham Crime (@bhamcrime) October 30, 2012
By Caleb Hutton
Here’s the morning scanner chatter.
Three-car crash blocking traffic at North State and Boulevard. Doesn’t sound like anyone’s hurt. #bellingham
— Bellingham Crime (@bhamcrime) October 15, 2012
Firefighters responded to campfire in Maritime Heritage Park, near the Holly St. side.
— Bellingham Crime (@bhamcrime) October 15, 2012
#policescanner: Man in the bathroom of The Market at Lakeway is “drinking a beer he has not paid for.” #bellingham
— Bellingham Crime (@bhamcrime) October 15, 2012
Crash reported at Chevron on Lakeway. Cops en route. #bellingham
— Bellingham Crime (@bhamcrime) October 15, 2012
Six-foot-tall man in his 60s irate over bill at Sandy Point clubhouse. Employee locked herself in back room to keep her distance.
— Bellingham Crime (@bhamcrime) October 15, 2012
And quickly, here’s something from over the weekend.
Reported: Oct 14 2012 4:22PM
Location: 4500 BLK MERIDIAN ST
Offense: ACCIDENT – INJURY
Case #: 12B38666(I1) was cited for Following Too Closely Under Conditions and No Proof Of Insurance In Vehicle after being involved in a collision with another vehicle.
Turned out injuries weren’t serious, said Bellingham police spokesman Mark Young. Nobody was taken to the hospital.
Posted by Caleb Hutton
Text courtesy of the Blaine Police Department, with minor edits for style.
Wednesday, Sept. 19
9:15 a.m. A lady out for a walk on F Street in the morning morning happened upon a screaming contest between two women in an apartment complex parking lot. The passerby was concerned about the well-being of the little kids who were watching the melee, and called police. An officer responded and defused the disagreement, which had not turned physical. The two historical combatants were advised that their behavior was bordering on criminal disorderly conduct. They agreed to part ways, for the time being.
10:52 a.m. An security monitoring company alerted police when they received an alarm from an ATM machine at a Blaine bank on Martin Street. The scene looked momentarily promising to the officers who arrived and intercepted burly men at the ATM wielding a pneumatic jackhammer. It turned out that the ATM was still intact though. The crewmen were using their heavy tools to withdraw a broken water line from under the pavement nearby, and the hammering vibrations had upset the ATM’s delicate sense of safety.
11:33 a.m. Police responded when dispatchers reported that they had received a 911 hang-up call from a residence on Boblett Street. An officer contacted the homeowner, and learned that the only emergent issue at hand was the insatiable curiosity of the toddler who had sneaked the house phone off its hook. Apologies and parental commiserations were exchanged
and the dispatch center was advised of the outcome.
1:15 p.m. On Wednesday afternoon police were dispatched to a possible rollover collision on Yew Avenue south of Pipeline Road. When officers arrived they found a one-car crash with a driver waiting in his pickup truck, which was waiting in the brambles several yards off the road. The motorist explained that he had been driving legally when he drifted off the pavement after beginning to feel ill. His account was supported by both a passing motorist witness and the tracks at the scene. A medic unit evaluated the driver and advised he had not been injured in his off-road adventure. A tow truck then arrived to free his pickup truck, which sustained a few thousand dollars in damage.
4:11 p.m. An Everson resident brought her Acura Integra to a repair shop on Peace Portal Drive to have its clutch replaced. The shop owner did the work and the owner’s friend paid the $580 repair bill, providing their credit card information by telephone. The mechanic later learned that the credit card transaction had been fraudulent, and his account was debited. The tradesman was more than patient trying to work with the car owner but ultimately had to contact police about the fraud and theft of services. An officer transcribed the victim’s information and asked that it be forwarded to the prosecutor.
Thursday, Sept. 20
1:45 a.m. Police were called to a home on A Street when dispatchers received a 911 hang-up call from the residence. The arriving officers contacted a distraught woman who had been assaulted by her teenage son. The young man has reportedly been growing more violent recently, and tonight threatened to attack his mother, then ripped the phone off the wall
when she tried to call for help. Police booked the 17-year-old boy into detention for assault, interfering with a report of domestic violence and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Noon. A motorist called Blaine PD wanting to share a UFO sighting he had experienced the previous evening. He explained that he had been traveling on Peace Portal Drive about 9 p.m. when he first spotted the object in the sky to the west. It appeared to have a green glow, red lights on its fringe, and was moving up and down very quickly. The witness said that by the time he pulled over, the object had disappeared. An officer explained that the object and its strange lights were most likely the small remote controlled airplane that has lately been frequently spotted over Drayton Harbor by local sky watchers.
1:22 p.m. Police and fire units responded to an activated smoke alarm at a shopping center on H Street. The emergency team tracked the source of the problem to an employee who had intended to just heat a tortilla, but apparently found the microwave’s hidden setting for incinerate. The crew silenced the alarm and reset the fire control system, and left the employee to defrost his boss.
3:24 p.m. Blaine Middle School officials called police to report the theft of a student’s shoes from the gymnasium. The shoes were recovered and returned to their owner. A fellow student was arrested for the theft and released to his parent pending a referral to the juvenile court.
7:40 p.m. A Blaine resident called police from Madison Street when she received a fraudulent telephone message from a man claiming to be a Drug Enforcement Administration agent in Colorado. The recorded message made outlandish accusations and demanded a return call. The number and message turned out to be consistent with a known telemarketing scam. The resident wisely did not take any action based on the call beyond calling law enforcement, and did not suffer a loss.
8:48 p.m. Customs personnel at the Peace Arch contacted Blaine police when they encountered two minors in possession of alcohol. A Blaine officer responded to investigate. The 19-year-old travelers admitted that they owned the $200 worth of liquor which they tucked into their car for the trip from Canada back home to Bellingham. Both men were arrested, cited and released with mandatory court appearance dates. Their five bottles of booze were placed into evidence pending a hearing.
Sunday, Sept. 23
8:55 p.m. A resident on F Street called police to report harassment and disorderly conduct. She explained that she had been sitting in her car just outside her apartment, talking on her phone when a next door neighbor came outside and started screaming profanities at her. An officer responded, documented the incident, and interviewed witnesses to the suspect’s brutish behavior. Written statements were obtained and a case report was forwarded for prosecution. The suspect was contacted and advised that since warnings had proven ineffective, this and any of her future violations of the public peace would be resolved in criminal court.
Monday, Sept. 24
12:05 p.m. An onsite apartment manager on Runge Avenue reported a theft from the complex when he discovered that a half dozen window blinds of various dimensions had been removed from one of the apartments. Three unidentified men had been allowed into the unit a few days earlier to obtain property left by a previous tenant, and it is suspected they helped themselves to the window dressings in the process. The loss is estimated at about $200.
1:35 p.m. A contractor working at a home on Kingsley Avenue reported the theft of construction equipment and electrical wiring. Some time between late Saturday afternoon and Monday morning, 80 feet of high-amperage power cable, three electrical cord units and two ladders were stolen. The loss is estimated at almost $800. This is the second construction site theft in central Blaine in the past week.
1:47 p.m. Residents in a gated community neighborhood reported the unauthorized cutting of trees and landscaping near their homes. It appeared that someone, possibly with a motive of an improved view, had vandalized three trees and other landscaping in the area. Police are investigating to determine if municipal code violations have been committed, and the gated community’s residence association has been advised.
Monday, Sept. 25
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