CRIME & SAFETY

This week in Bellingham, Washington, there were three incidents that impacted the safety of the community. These incidents include a robbery near a Bellingham elementary school, a caretaker being arrested for second-degree rape, and four fentanyl overdose deaths on the Lummi Indian Reservation. Details on the robbery and the suspect have not been released, while the caretaker was charged with rape following an investigation into a July incident. The Lummi Nation is mourning the loss of four individuals due to fentanyl overdoses, with the tribe issuing a warning to help prevent further deaths.

Hundreds of motorcyclists are expected in Anacortes this weekend for the annual Oystern Run. More motorcycles travel on Washington’s roads in the summer months than any other time of the year. Officials are concerned that fatal motorcycle crashes continue to increase in our state. In a continued effort to reduce these crashes, increased safety patrols will be visible September 22-24 during the 40th Annual Oyster Run near Anacortes, WA.

Bellingham Police arrested a man after executing a search warrant at his home. Police searched the residence around 6 a.m. on Friday. The search warrant was issued following an investigation for distribution of illegal substances. Police arrested Sevan Toutounjian, 48, for allegedly possessing illegal narcotics and an unknown amount of...

On Friday, a deputy dove to safety at the intersection of the Hannegan and Kelly roads in North Bellingham when a drunk driver smashed into their patrol car.

BELLINGHAM, Wash. — The Whatcom County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) posted a couple of photos Friday showing a smashed-up patrol SUV that was reportedly hit by a drunk driver “recently.”. According to the WCSO, while controlling traffic at the corner of Hannegan and Kline roads in Bellingham, a deputy...

A Deputy on San Juan Island responded to a report of a trespass on Stuart Island. This case is still under investigation. A Lopez Deputy responded to a fraud call. An elderly Lopezian reported responding to a scam email. Thankfully the individual was advised to stop by a friend before they sent any money to a scammer.

Anacortes Police responded to a dangerous case of a bicyclist playing chicken in traffic. Officers responded to a reported assault in the 2500 block of Commercial Avenue. The reporting party advised that two subjects were fighting and that one was having difficulty breathing. Officers contacted the man having difficulty breathing and requested aid to respond. While Anacortes Fire Department medics treated him, the man advised that an argument ensued between the business owner at the address about another man not being able to be on the property. The man advised that the business owner then engaged with him in a fight. The man said he did not want to pursue charges against the business owner. The man who was not allowed on the property was charged with criminal trespass, as he had previously been banned.

The Lummi Tribal Health Center issued an alert on Wednesday, September 20th, warning the community of a spike in overdose deaths. They said they believe the spike may be due to a change in the supply around the Lummi community. Narcan and test strips are both available for free at...

A woman in Michigan needed to be hoisted out of an outhouse pit after falling in trying to retrieve her Apple smart watch!. The woman who got stuck in the bottom of an outhouse when she tried to retrieve the Apple watch she dropped!. Friday, September 22, 2023. The late...

Accident reports in Sedro-Wooley have increased by 40 percent since 2018, while staffing levels have not risen with increased demand. This year, voters can decide, via Proposition 1, if the city should have a special fund to make it possible for the city to hire more first responders.Visit here for more details.

The late edition of “I can’t believe its news” today featured a batch of Whidbey Island 911 calls!. The woman who got stuck in the bottom of an outhouse when she tried to retrieve the Apple watch she dropped!. The late edition of “I can’t believe its...

A 25-year-old Alabama man died in a fall while climbing Goat Wall near Mazama on Sunday (Sept. 17). Ryan Spencer Dawes, known as Spencer, was from Athens, Alabama, and was working as a climbing guide for Northwest Alpine Guides in Sedro-Woolley, according to Okanogan County Coroner Dave Rodriguez. Dawes was...

The extent of the injuries are unknown.

This week in Bellingham, Washington, several incidents occurred that impacted the safety of the community. These incidents include a fire at Bellingham Ford damaging seven vehicles, a man pleading guilty to raping a tenant, a father arrested for leaving his infant alone in a supermarket parking lot, a mother speaking out after her daughter's death in a drug-related encampment, a man dying in a trailer fire, and Oregon officials searching for a missing infant who may be in Bellingham.

Oregon authorities are actively searching for a newborn baby and his parents who have been unaccounted for since September 5. The newborn baby, Declan Colby Duckett, and his parents became unreachable in Portland, Oregon, raising concerns within their personal contacts and immediate community.

“She had a sparkle in her eye, she was a loving mother, good wife," Brinkly said.

In a noteworthy development, the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office Gang and Drug Task Force (WGDTF) recently dismantled a sizeable drug distribution network operating within the vicinity of Bellingham, Washington. This operation, driven by a critical tip-off, has been under surveillance for approximately one month. Here are the essential details of the operation, which involved a collaborative effort from various law enforcement agencies.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, there were no injuries.

Man arrested with enough fentanyl to be distributed here to kill everyone in Bellingham, police say.

A man who was yelling and was swinging a machete while in the state ferry line got other nervous. An officer responded to an agency assist call at the Washington State Ferry Terminal on Saturday, Sept. 2. Dispatch advised that a man in line for the ferry was yelling and had hit his own vehicle with a machete. Officers responded, as there were no Washington State Patrol troopers in position to respond to the call. Officers arrived and spoke to an employee, who said the man had acted crazy. Officers contacted the man, who said he had been driving all day and that he had a migraine while waiting in line. He said he was bothered by the people around him in line who were letting their cars idle. The officers asked about how the machete came into play, and the man said he was trying to rearrange items behind his seat so he could lean it back further and that he had moved the machete to his trunk, closing the trunk hard so it would latch. He said he had partially set the machete on the trunk hatch but had not hit the car with it. Several drivers around the man confirmed what he had said, but none had observed the machete. WSP troopers arrived and determined that he would not need to be trespassed from the ferry, and he agreed to let WSP hold onto the machete for safekeeping. He was allowed to board the ferry, and police units cleared the scene.