Police last week arrested a man who drove his car into a city Parks Department truck at Washington Park and tested at nearly five times the legal limit for alcohol. The driver was identified as a 33-year-old Bellingham man who smelled strongly of intoxicants and could barely stand on his feet.
It was learned that the man had also crashed his car into a fence on the Park property and then driven away prior to colliding with the Parks vehicle. The man showed several effects of drinking alcohol and almost fell down while speaking with the officer. The man was arrested for drunk driving and he admitted he had been driving around looking for his dog after drinking “seven or eight beers.” The man was so intoxicated he was unable to perform field sobriety tests and repeatedly sat down during the tests. The man was processed for drunk driving and provided two breath samples that were almost five times the legal limit. He was cited for DUI, driving with a suspended driver’s license, and hit and run. He was released to his girlfriend after his vehicle was impounded.
Other police blotter items, as prepared by the Anacortes Police Department:
August 29
A 22-year-old Anacortes man reported that someone had slashed the soft top and four tires of his car while it was parked outside of his residence in the 1500 block of 10th Street causing an estimated $1900 in damage. The man reported that he and his roommates had hosted a large drinking party and that when he got up the next morning he discovered the car truck open and the damage.
A resident of the 500 block of 35th Street reported that someone had tried to steal a hydraulic crab pot puller from a fishing boat parked on the side of his residence by removing a bolt and cutting the hydraulic lines. The victim was able to repair the damage himself.
A 25-year-old Anacortes man was suspected of drunk driving after the car he was driving left the roadway on Heart Lake Road and rolled over onto its roof. A partially full alcohol container was found inside of the car. The driver was transported by an aid car to Island Hospital where he was treated for a possible back injury. The driver smelled of intoxicants and provided a portable breath test sample that was almost twice the legal limit. The driver consented to a blood draw for alcohol analysis and possible DUI charges are pending.
A 14-year-old Anacortes boy reported being punched in the mouth by a 14-year-old Anacortes girl after the girl had yelled at him near 28th and Commercial Ave. The boy told officers that he and the girl have had a year-long disagreement and that he had sworn at her after she punched him. The boy did not want to pursue criminal charges against the girl.
August 30
A Police Sergeant stopped a car that was driven by a 19-year-old Anacortes man for speeding on State Route 20. Two 17-year-old Anacortes boys who were passengers were also spoken with after the officer smelled marijuana inside of the vehicle. Both boys had bloodshot and watery eyes, clumsy movements, and smelled of alcohol. Both boys admitted to drinking beer prior to getting into the vehicle. One boy had pieces of green suspected marijuana stuck in his teeth, but he denied having eaten the marijuana to dispose of it. Both boys were informed that they were going to be charged with underage drinking and released to their parents. The driver displayed no signs of consuming alcohol and claimed he had no idea why his car would smell of marijuana.
A resident of the 1100 block of Haddon Lane reported that someone had shot his parked motor home with a paintball gun. The paint was washed off and caused no permanent damage.
A 13-year-old Anacortes boy who was riding his bike through the campground at Washington Park was bitten in the leg by a dog that had been left unattended and loose at a campsite. The bite did not break the skin but the boy’s pants were torn. The dog owner was contacted and the dog’s vaccination records were current. The dog owner agreed to replace the boys’ pants at the satisfaction of the boy and his mother.
Officers responded to the report of a fight in the 1900 block of Commercial Avenue as the involved people were reported to be leaving in two vehicles. An officer stopped one of the involved cars in the 900 block of 13th Street and identified the driver as a 27-year-old Oak Harbor woman. The woman said that she had exchanged punches with “some drunk girl” from the other car and that it was “no big deal.” The woman said the other car was driven by a man she had been drinking with and was following back to his house. The occupants of the other vehicle were contacted and no one wanted to pursue assault charges. However, the female driver of the first car displayed the effects of drinking alcohol and she admitted to having “two drinks” earlier. She performed poorly on field sobriety tests and was arrested for drunk driving. She admitted her driving had been affected by her alcohol consumption and she provided two breath samples that were approximately three times the legal limit. She was cited for DUI and released.
A Seattle man reported that he had left his gym bag containing clothing and shoes and a sleeping bag near his car he had parked in the Guemes Ferry lot. The man said that he ran back to his vehicle when he realized he had forgotten his bag, but the items had already been stolen. The victim had seen a white van leave the lot when he returned, but it was unknown if the van was involved.
August 31
A vehicle driven by a 32-year-old Anacortes woman was stopped on Oakes Avenue for speeding and passing in a no passing zone. The driver had a suspended driver’s license and exhibited the effects of being intoxicated. The driver performed poorly on field sobriety testes and admitted to drinking two “airplane bottles” of whiskey. She was placed under arrest for drunk driving but refused to take the breath test. She was cited for DUI, driving while suspended, and passing in a no passing zone. She was released to a sober adult.
A 24-year-old Anacortes man and a 24-year-old Seattle man were both cited for drinking alcohol in the City Forest lands after an officer watched them drinking beer near Whistle Lake. There were several signs at the lake that advise of the City ordinance banning alcohol consumption.
A resident of the 2500 block of W. 2nd Street reported a daytime burglary. The victim said that she and one of her daughters had left the house in the morning and that her other daughter then heard a male voice inside the house. No males were found in the house, but the victim discovered her front door ajar when she returned home. Several pieces of jewelry and a digital camera were discovered to have been stolen from bedrooms in the house.
September 1
An officer stopped a vehicle in the 12500 block of Christianson Road after it had been speeding on Stare Route 20. The driver was identified as a 20-year-old Anacortes man. The car smelled of intoxicants and the driver displayed the effects of drinking alcohol. He was placed under arrest for underage drinking. A 19-year-old Anacortes woman was identified as the passenger and she also displayed the effects of drinking alcohol. She admitted to drinking one beer and said that the driver had had two or three beers. The woman was also arrested for underage drinking. A search of the car revealed marijuana and a pipe in the glove box that the driver admitted belonged to him. Marijuana and a smoking pipe were found in the woman’s purse and she claimed she had forgotten the items were inside. Both subjects were cited for MIP, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Burglars entered a residence in the 1600 block of 32nd Street through an unlocked door and stole a purse that contained identification, credit cards, cash, and gift certificates. An unknown caller later contacted the victim’s mother and advised her that the victim’s purse had been found near a golf course. It was unknown if the contents of the purse was intact.
A woman reported the theft of her $65 mountain bike from a porch at her home in the 800 block of 29th Street. The bike had been left unsecured.
An Anacortes man reported the theft of a $175 car stereo while his vehicle had been parked in the 800 block of 30th Street. There was no sign of forced entry into the car but the victim said that he usually kept his car locked at all times.
An officer stopped a car driven by a 26-year-old Anacortes woman in the 1100 block of J Avenue after her car struck a curb while turning and crossed the fog line twice. The car smelled of marijuana and the woman admitted she had drunk a couple of beers. The woman had poor balance and performed poorly on field sobriety tests. She was placed under arrest for DUI. A pill bottle containing marijuana was found during a search of the car, but the woman denied it was hers and claimed that she had not smoked marijuana in two years. The woman was processed for drunk driving and provided two breath samples that were over twice the legal limit. She was cited for DUI and possession of marijuana and released to a friend.
Officers responded to the report of a possible juvenile drinking party at a house in the 3800 block of R Avenue. Numerous juveniles were seen inside of the house with open cans of beer. Approximately twenty people under age 21 were contacted inside and outside the house including a 17-year-old Anacortes girl who was in charge of the house. The girl claimed that she had been hosting a small gathering of friends, and the party had gotten out of hand when the friends invited their friends. Eight Anacortes residents ranging in age from 15 to 20 showed the effects of drinking alcohol and were either cited or referred to juvenile court for underage drinking. Over 120 cans of beer were located inside the house and dumped out.
September 3
A resident of the 1600 block of 32nd Street reported the second burglary to their home in two days after she returned home and discovered a screen had been removed from a bedroom window. She then discovered a door open on another side of the house. Many items inside of the house had been rummaged through. The victim and her roommates discovered they were missing a game console and games, a DVD player, a book of checks, a jar of loose change, jewelry, assorted coins, and $50 in cash. The matter is under investigation.
A 14-year-old Anacortes boy was arrested for domestic violence malicious mischief after he argued with his mother, threw things around his room, and punched a hole in a wall. The boy was reportedly upset after his mother grounded him and told him he would be going out of state to his father’s house for awhile. The boy was booked into juvenile detention.
A 40-year-old Bellingham transient was cited and released for possession drug paraphernalia. Officers contacted the man after it was reported he was sleeping on the sidewalk in front of a business in the 1900 block of Commercial Avenue. The man was asked for identification and removed a smoking pipe from his pocket instead. The man admitted he had used the pipe earlier in the night to smoke “meth.” The pipe was retained as evidence.
An officer contacted a 21-year-old Anacortes woman and a 19-year-old Anacortes man inside a vehicle that was parked after hours in a City park in the 200 block of N Avenue. When the female driver rolled down the window, smoke smelling of marijuana rolled out of the car. The woman admitted to smoking marijuana in the car and provided the officer with two containers of marijuana and a smoking pipe from inside of the car. The passenger also said the items belonged to the woman although he claimed that they smoked marijuana together “all the time.” The woman was cited and released for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
September 4
A 44-year-old Anacortes man was arrested for domestic violence assault after he allegedly yelled at his live-in girlfriend and scratched her arm. The woman said that the man told her he was leaving and began removing items from the house, including grabbing her arm and pulling a pack of cigarettes from her hand. The woman reported she received the scratches when the man grabbed her. The man was very intoxicated and claimed that the woman had gotten upset for no reason. He said that he had only grabbed the woman to stop her from slapping him. He was booked into the county jail.
An Anacortes couple reported black spray painted graffiti to the side of an exterior wall to a home-based business in the 2100 block of O Avenue. The graffiti stated “13th St” and was similar to other recently reported vandalism in which an Anacortes juvenile was charged with malicious mischief.
A 67-year-old Anacortes man driving a motorcycle on O Avenue lost control of the bike as he turned into a parking lot near 8th Street. The motorcycle struck a light standard and the man fell over and hit his head on the ground and was injured. Inexperience at riding a motorcycle was one of the factors of the accident. The man was transported to the local emergency room and later to Harborview for additional treatment.
September 5
A 28-year-old Burlington man apparently fell asleep at the wheel of his car causing it to leave the roadway and strike a power pole in the 3900 block of A Avenue. The driver was uninjured but his 19-year-old passenger suffered a possible head injury.
Residents of a home in the 1700 block of 39th Street reported that someone had entered their home while they were sleeping during the night and stole two laptop computers, a GPS unit, a purse, a wallet, credit cards, a checkbook, and social security cards belonging to the victims. It was believed that the burglars had entered the house through an unlocked door as there was no sign of forced entry. One of the stolen credit cards was later used at an Anacortes convenience store to purchase gasoline. The burglary is under investigation.