An officer stopped a car on highway 20 near Reservation Road that was traveling at about 100 miles per hour. Turned out the car was stolen. Also this week: Over $10,000 worth of tools and equipment belonging to 3 different contractors were stolen from a work site. Those are just some of the cases the Anacortes Police reported this week.
Friday, August 14
A business in the 1100 block of Commercial Avenue received two checks on a closed bank account as payment for rented equipment from a 39-year-old Marysville man. The man later returned and tried to rent more items, but was turned down. It was learned that the man then went to another equipment rental business in Anacortes and used another closed account check to rent more gas powered equipment. The man had not returned any of the equipment and police are attempting to locate him for contact.
An unknown male caller telephoned a business in the 800 block of Commercial Avenue and made a lewd comment to the female receptionist and mentioned that he had been “staring at her.” The call traced back to a pay phone at the State Ferry terminal. The receptionist was advised to call 911 if she received any more calls.
A couple who were attending a concert at a marina returned to their car parked in the 1200 block of Q Avenue and discovered it had been prowled. Missing from inside was a purse that contained credit cards, a checkbook, and approximately $500 in cash. The vehicle owners thought they had locked the car, but there was no sign of forced entry.
Officers responded to a home in the 3300 block of Oakes Avenue regarding a domestic disturbance in which a window had reportedly been broken. Officers spoke with a 50-year-old man and his 56-year-old wife and learned that the two had argued about the wife turning off the power to a fish tank. Both people said that the window had been broken the previous week and the disagreement had been strictly verbal. It was determined that no crime had occurred and the husband volunteered to leave for the night for a cooling down period.
Officers contacted a 26-year-old Anacortes man at a home in the 1500 block of 8th Street after witnesses reported the man had been “bloody” and mentioned he had been in a fight. The man had a deep cut to his ear and appeared to be intoxicated. The man initially claimed he had been beaten up by two unknown men when he left a downtown bar. The man was transported to the emergency room where he changed his story to say that he had been downtown drinking with his 22-year-old brother when he agreed to drive the brother home. The man then said he realized he was too drunk to drive to his brother’s house, so he instead drove to his own home which was closer. The man admitted his brother had gotten mad about that, but he would not admit his brother had assaulted him and simply said he “didn’t remember.” Attempts to locate the brother that night were unsuccessful, including contacting the mother of the two men who refused to provide contact information for the brother.
Saturday, August 15
A 26-year-old Mount Vernon man and a 26-year-old Anacortes man were both cited for disorderly conduct after they allegedly fought with bouncers after being ejected from a bar in the 300 block of Commercial Avenue. While dealing with the men, a 30-year-old Mount Vernon woman approached police and began screaming while demanding to know what police were doing with her brother. The woman ignored officer’s request to step back and interfered and struggled with an officer who was attempting to handcuff her brother. Other officers arrived and the woman was taken into custody while she continued to scream profanities. She resisted efforts to be placed into a police car, but she was eventually booked into jail on disorderly conduct and obstructing charges.
A Chesapeake Bay Retriever successfully backed out of its collar while its owner was walking him in the area of 34th Street and O Avenue and attacked a Brit Terrier. The terrier was being walked on a leash by its owner and was seriously injured during the attack and died before arriving at a veterinary clinic. The offending dog owner, a 33-year-old Anacortes man, said that his dog had never attacked another dog or human before and he was unsure what had set it off. The attack is being followed up on by the Animal Control Officer.
Sunday, August 16
An officer stopped a car driven by a 30-year-old Australian man for speeding in the 900 block of Commercial Avenue. The man smelled strongly of intoxicants and he had slurred speech and a flushed face. The man said that he had “three beers.” The man performed poorly on field sobriety tests and was placed under arrest for drunk driving. He was taken to the police station where he provided two breath samples over the legal limit. He was cited for DUI and released to a sober relative.
A 20-year-old Sedro-Woolley man and 3 Seattle area adults were issued citations for unlawful recreational fishing for crabbing from the Port Dock on a day that crabbing was closed. The 4 said that they were not aware of the closure and had not consulted any fish and wildlife information prior to their fishing. They returned their caught crab to the water.
A woman visiting from the East Coast who had left her rental car parked at the State Ferry Terminal returned to the parking lot and discovered a window had been smashed out. Stolen from inside of the car was a laptop computer, two fishing poles and assorted tackle, a digital camera, assorted women’s make-up items, and approximately 75 music compact discs. The loss was estimated at approximately $2,000.
Monday, August 17
A 32-year-old Anacortes man was arrested for domestic violence assault and malicious mischief after he allegedly grabbed and pushed his wife out of their bedroom and broke the glass in their wedding pictures. The wife said that the couple had been drinking and argued after she accused him of kissing another woman. The man said that he had went to bed to get away from his wife and locked the bedroom door, but that she had climbed through a window into the bedroom and started arguing with him again. The man admitted that he had pushed her out of the bedroom so he could go to sleep, and that he had broken the wedding pictures. He was booked into jail.
An officer contacted two Anacortes teens in the 2100 block of Commercial Avenue after he saw them jumping on a parked car and saw a cloud of smoke as if someone had just spun their tires. One of the teens admitted to “burning off” the tires as they entered the parking lot. Both teens smelled of alcohol and had slurred speech and other signs of alcohol consumption. One teen admitted to drinking “3 or 4 beers” and the other denied having drunk anything, although he gave a breath test that showed otherwise. Both teens were arrested and charged with underage drinking and then released.
A vehicle parked overnight near a motel in the 900 block of 5th Street had a window smashed out with a large rock. A purse belonging to an Anacortes woman was stolen from inside along with a wallet belonging to an Anacortes man. The purse contained checks and a debit card and the wallet contained a debit card. The victims were advised to contact their banks to check for fraudulent activity.
A resident of the 4100 block of Ellisport Place was issued a citation for having his two dogs running at large after a neighbor reported the dogs had been running loose and allegedly chased her as she was walking towards her driveway.
A couple was contacted by police in an alley near the 1000 block of 6th Street after a witness had seen them arguing. The woman was crying when officers arrived. Both the man and woman said that they had been arguing about where to have lunch, but that nothing physical had occurred. It was determined that no crime had occurred.
An Anacortes resident received a phone call from national department store chain inquiring if she had used her credit card to purchase two watches via the Internet. The woman said she had not and the purchases were cancelled. It was learned that the watches were to have been sent to another state and police are working with the business to obtain the address.
An Anacortes man allowed his 22-year-old grandson to use his debit card to withdraw an agreed upon $40 from his account, but later learned the grandson had withdrawn approximately $850 through several transactions. The man said that he had not seen his grandson since loaning him the debit card. The man closed his bank account and police are trying to locate the grandson.
A 32-year-old Bow man was arrested for drunk driving after witnesses reported the car he was driving was “all over the road” as it traveled from State Route 20 onto R Avenue. An officer saw the vehicle weaving on the roadway and then stop at a stop sign at 11th and Commercial with the driver waiving at other cars to go around him. The driver told the officer he had not been drinking although he smelled strongly of alcohol and had slurred speech. When asked for his license, the driver handed the officer gloves and sunflower seeds instead. The driver performed poorly on field sobriety tests and had even asked the officer if he could take his shirt off during the tests. (He was allowed to remove his shirt.) The driver was arrested for drunk driving and then began to curse at officers. He provided breath samples that were over twice the legal limit and he was booked into jail for DUI.
An Anacortes woman reported that her husband had thrown a rock through her car window and then fled the area of the 2800 block of Commercial Avenue on foot. The woman reported that she and her husband had argued in the car after he had told he had been driving around looking at other women while she had been at a local park. The man walked to the police station the next day and turned himself in. He was booked into jail on a domestic violence malicious mischief charge.
Tuesday, August 18
A Deming woman reported that she had parked her black Honda Civic in the 2900 block of T Avenue and later returned to find it missing. The woman said that she found broken glass on the ground where the car had been parked. A signed stolen vehicle report was completed.
A Port Townsend woman reported her Dodge pickup had been stolen from a marina parking lot in the 1000 block of Q Avenue. The truck had reportedly been locked. Police checked the license information and learned that the managers of a RV park on Fidalgo Bay Road had found the truck parked suspiciously behind a building on their property and had it impounded. The owner was reunited with her truck but the ignition had been removed from the steering column and it had front end collision damage. There are no suspects at this time.
A 52-year-old Anacortes woman was discovered deceased in her apartment in the 800 block of 30th Street by a family member who had stopped by to check on her after not receiving an answer on her phone. The woman had medical issues and there were no signs of foul play. The Coroner’s Office responded to the scene and assisted in the investigation.
A 40-foot length of roofer’s safety rope valued at $75 was reported stolen from a construction site in the 2000 block of Kansas Avenue.
A friend of a 95-year-old man living on Paisley Place reported him “missing” after the man failed to return home from his daily walk. Friends and officer checked the area but did not initially locate the man. The man later returned home in good shape and informed officers that he had been visiting a friend over night.
A 24-year-old woman reported that she and her 27-year-old boyfriend had been arguing at their apartment in the 1100 block of 27th Court about the man sending text messages to another woman. The woman said that her boyfriend then poured a can of beer over her head and then threw the empty beer can at her, striking her in the face. The woman also alleged that the man flicked a lit cigarette into her face. The man fled prior to police arrival and police are seeking to speak with him.
A woman living in the 3900 block of N Avenue reported that her husband had shoved her head against a wall and pulled her hair during the course of an argument. The couple had reportedly been arguing over the man’s drinking and his displeasure of his wife’s mother coming to visit. The man admitted that he had “placed” his hand against his wife’s head in an effort to get her away from him. The wife did not want her husband arrested, but he was booked into jail on mandatory domestic violence assault charges.
Wednesday, August 19
A 21-year-old man was alleged to have picked up and thrown his 20-year-old girlfriend to the floor at their home in the 3900 block of V Avenue. The woman reported that the man had been yelling at their infant child because he was impatient with the child’s crying. When the woman placed the child in a car seat to leave, the man allegedly picked her up and threw her to the floor. The woman reported that the man wanted her to leave, but not the child. The man fled when the woman called 911. Police contact with the man is pending.
A woman who had left her purse and keys on the bumper of her car while she unloaded her children and took them inside her home in the 1200 block of 29th Street discovered that someone had stolen the items while she had been inside. The woman said that no one else had been around when she left the items on the bumper.
Four fishing rods and reels and two tackle boxes containing assorted fishing gear were stolen from a pickup parked in front of a house in the 1400 block of 19th Street. The pickup was believed to have been locked, but there was no sign of forced entry. The loss was estimated at $400.
An employee at a business in the 900 block of 37th Street reported that her purse had been stolen from the employee break area at the business. The purse contained the victim’s ID, an ATM card, a digital camera, and a large amount of cash.
A 19-year-old Anacortes man was cited for reckless driving after he lost control of the pickup he was driving and left the roadway and struck a tree in a yard in the 4200 block of H Avenue. The pickup also reportedly rolled twice and ejected a 19-year-old Anacortes woman who was a passenger. The woman was transported to the emergency room with unknown injuries. She later told an officer that she had no memory of the accident. Excessive speed appeared to be a causing factor in the accident.
A handheld tree measuring instrument valued at $1,650 and a chainsaw valued at $500 were stolen from an unlocked toolbox on a pickup parked in the 2100 block of 23rd Street. Also reported stolen from the toolbox were an axe, a tape measure, and assorted work clothing and boots with a total estimated value of over $900. There are no suspects at this time.
Officers responded to Causland Park after a citizen reported seeing people in the park after hours and smelling burnt marijuana. Police contacted 5 juveniles in the park. The officer saw one 15-year-old Anacortes boy throw something on the ground and discovered it was a marijuana smoking pipe. The boy admitted the pipe was his and he was placed under arrest. A small baggy of marijuana was found in the boys pocket. Another 15-year-old boy admitted he had a marijuana pipe in his backpack and the pipe was seized. Both boys were referred to juvenile court on possession of drug paraphernalia charges and the one boy was also charged with possession of marijuana.
A dash-mounted CD/DVD player valued at $600 was reported stolen from a car parked in the 1100 block of 14th Street. The car had been left unlocked.
Thursday, August 20
A resident of the 1900 block of 12th Street reported that three of her neighbor’s chickens had gotten loose and were in her yard. The Animal Control officer contacted the chicken owners and made them aware of the law that they could not keep chickens within the city. The owner will work on finding a new home for the birds.
A 15-year-old girl reported that she had been punched in the face by the 39-year-old girlfriend of her father at a motel room in the 2000 block of Commercial Avenue. The girl told an officer that she had wanted to leave the room for awhile, but that the girlfriend had told her no. The girl said that she attempted to leave anyway and the girlfriend then punched her with a closed fist in the face. The girl did have some visible slight bruising to the bridge of her nose. Officers checked the motel for the girlfriend, but she had left. The victim’s father would not provide any information to help locate his girlfriend. Possible assault charges are pending against the girlfriend.
A man living in the 1200 block of C Avenue reported that a 3-year-old neighbor boy had used a rock to cut deep scratches into all 4 sides of his pickup. The victim had spoken with the boy’s father and arrangements were being made to repair the damage.
Over $10,000 worth of tools and equipment belonging to 3 different contractors working a home in the 1200 block of 6th Street were stolen from a garage at the site. A set of French doors on a shop attached to the garage appeared to have been pulled open to make entry. Stolen items included a floor buffer, vacuums, power nailers, a planer, a tile saw, a floor edger, and various other tools and accessories. The matter is under further investigation.
An Oak Harbor man reported that a laptop computer had been stolen out of car on a day when he had made numerous stops while in Anacortes. The victim said that his car had been unlocked during the stops. The laptop was valued at $900.
A woman driving a Dodge van west on State Route 20 into Anacortes noticed smoke coming from under the hood and she pulled into a viewpoint off the highway. When she opened the hood, she discovered the engine was fire. The vehicle then became fully engulfed in flames. The fire was extinguished by the fire department. The woman said that she had been having mechanical problems with the vehicle and had just put gas and oil in a few minutes prior to the fire.
An Anacortes woman reported that she had leaned her briefcase containing a laptop computer valued at $1,100 against the curb near her car in the 900 block of 7th Street and inadvertently drove away without the items. The woman said that she realized her mistake and returned in less than five minutes but found the briefcase was missing. A witness in the area reported that she had seen a newer pickup stop in the street and an unknown man get out and retrieve the briefcase and laptop. The truck then drove away.
Officers contacted a 19-year-old woman at a home in the 1900 block of 24th Street after it had been reported she had been arguing with her boyfriend. It was determined that the disagreement had been verbal only, but an officer observed a bong in plain view on the floor of the woman’s bedroom. Another bong, a marijuana smoking pipe, and a small amount of marijuana was also found I the room. The woman admitted that all of the items belonged to her. The woman was issued a citation for possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
An Anacortes boy reported the theft of his PSP game computer while he had been swimming at the Fidalgo pool. The boy had left the item inside of a backpack that was left unsecured in the men’s locker room. Other boys who had been swimming also had their backpacks rummaged through, but nothing else appeared to be missing.
Friday, August 21
An officer stopped a car on SR 20 near Reservation Road after he had seen the vehicle traveling at approximately 100 miles per hour. The driver and sole occupant was identified as a 21-year-old Anacortes man. The man appeared nervous and could not provide a full name when asked who owned the car. An officer contacted the registered owner of the car who lived on F Avenue in Anacortes. The owner said that he had discovered his car was missing a short time earlier and that he had not given anyone permission to take it. The owner said that the keys had been left in the car. The driver was arrested for being in possession of stolen property and booked into jail. The driver had also been arrested two weeks prior in Anacortes after being a passenger in another stolen vehicle.