Tag: mark francis
By Caleb Hutton
A Washington State Patrol trooper won’t be charged with a crime after crashing into a Vietnamese man in Mount Vernon, killing him, the Skagit Valley Herald reported.
Hong Dinh Nguyen, 26, of Vietnam, died late Aug. 14, 2012, in Mount Vernon, when he was struck by a cruiser driven by Trooper Mark Francis on a southbound Interstate 5 off-ramp.
Here’s two-fifths of the (Skagit) Herald’s story.
Skagit County Prosecutor Rich Weyrich announced in a statement Monday that he will not pursue charges against a state trooper involved in a pedestrian fatality in August.
Hong Dinh Nguyen of Vietnam was killed the evening of Aug. 14 in Mount Vernon when he was hit by a patrol car leaving southbound Interstate 5 on the off-ramp to College Way.
From a story we printed in late August:
Nguyen was hit when he crossed in front of Trooper Mark Francis’ patrol car about 9:45 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 14, on the southbound East College Way exit, according to a report from Trooper Keith Leary. Francis and another trooper were in the process of turning around to respond to a call on northbound Interstate 5, according to the report.
Nguyen died at the scene. The cause of death was blunt force injury to the head, Skagit Deputy Coroner Bob Clark said.
Both the Mount Vernon Police Department and Washington State Patrol are investigating the incident.
Francis was not placed on administrative leave after Nguyen’s death. He has served as a state patrol spokesman since late November.
By Caleb Hutton
For update, see below.
A suspected drunk driver struck and injured a woman who was walking to her mailbox Thursday afternoon, Dec. 6, leading police on a hit and run chase near Bellingham city limits.
The woman, 49, was walking west across the street in the 4200 block of Northwest Drive, when a northbound Ford van struck her at 3:40 p.m., said Washington State Patrol Trooper Mark Francis.
She was catapulted and appeared to suffer a broken shoulder. The van sped off, Francis said.
Witnesses tailing the van phoned in the license plate number. Law enforcement tracked down a tan 1991 Ford Aerostar within minutes. One side of the vehicle had dents and scratches — but some of those may have been old, Francis said.
The driver, a 56-year-old man with a Bellingham mailing address, was still being tested and questioned at 5 p.m., the time of this post.
He’s expected to be booked for driving under the influence of alcohol and felony hit and run, Francis said. His name should be released in the coming hours.
Troopers were interviewing the woman at St. Joseph hospital.
Update: Steven Gary Fisher, the alleged driver, was booked into jail on suspicion of vehicular assault.
I also corrected the age of the victim. She was treated and released at St. Joseph, a hospital spokeswoman said.
By Caleb Hutton
A woman suffered minor injuries after running a red light and striking two cars Thursday afternoon, Dec. 6, on Guide Meridian, according to the Washington State Patrol.
The 24-year-old woman was driving a Toyota Echo south on the Guide when she didn’t stop for a red light at 12:05 p.m. in the intersection at West Laurel Road, said Trooper Mark Francis.
She hit an westbound Ford pickup, flinging the Toyota into a westbound Nissan Pathfinder that was about to turn left (north), Francis said.
The woman was taken to the hospital by ambulance as a precaution. The drivers of the Ford and the Nissan — a 33-year-old Ferndale man and a 73-year-old Everson man, respectively — didn’t need to go to the hospital. Nobody else was involved.
Francis didn’t have the woman’s name offhand, but expected she would be cited. She’s from Whatcom County. Drugs and alcohol did not appear to be a factor. Troopers aren’t sure why she ran the light.
Traffic was blocked for about an hour.
Here’s the news stream from the @bhamcrime Twitter account.
T-bone crash at Guide Meridian and W Laurel. No word yet on injuries, but EMTs and @wastatepatrol troopers are on their way. #Bellingham
— Bellingham Crime (@bhamcrime) December 6, 2012
And now dispatchers say people are possibly trapped in the Guide Meridian crash. #Bellingham
— Bellingham Crime (@bhamcrime) December 6, 2012
Firefighter at Guide crash: “Appears to be a three-car (crash). Moderate damage to two vehicles, and major damage to one vehicle.”
— Bellingham Crime (@bhamcrime) December 6, 2012
At Guide crash, driver’s side damage to a Nissan Pathfinder. A Toyota Echo has a front wheel that won’t roll.
— Bellingham Crime (@bhamcrime) December 6, 2012
Two people have significant but not life-threatening injuries in Guide crash. #Bellingham
— Bellingham Crime (@bhamcrime) December 6, 2012
As of 5 minutes ago, crash at Guide & Laurel is no longer blocking, trooper says. Driver ran red light. She was the only one hurt.
— Bellingham Crime (@bhamcrime) December 6, 2012
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