Anacortes Police worked a case this week where a woman said a suspicious vehicle followed her and her 2 children on the street, then followed the bus they got on.
On Tuesday, Sept. 8, a woman reported that a suspicious vehicle had followed her and her 2 teenaged children as they walked from their home to a bus stop in the 900 block of 9th Street. The woman said that a silver Ford Ranger pickup with an unknown male driver had driven past them very slowly and then turned around and drove past them again. The pickup parked near the bus stop until the family boarded the bus and then followed the bus to a transfer station on the east side of town. The woman decided not to leave town and her and her kids stayed on the bus to return towards home. The pickup had stopped near the transfer station and then followed the other bus towards Mount Vernon before turning around and heading back towards Anacortes. The family got off at a different bus stop and did not see the pickup again. The woman was advised to call 911 if she saw the pickup following her again.
Some of the other police cases, as reported by the Anacortes Police Department, include:
Friday, September 4
A 39-year-old Anacortes man was being held in Whatcom County on a mental health hold after he had tried to castrate himself somewhere near Blaine. The man had told authorities that he had done something “bad” in Anacortes and Anacortes Police were asked to check his residence. Nothing unusual was found at the man’s home and his family in Anacortes said that the man always says he has done something “bad” when the police contact him.
An officer stopped a car in the 2700 block of Oakes Avenue for having a cracked windshield. The driver, a 27-year-old Anacortes woman, had a suspended driver’s license. The officer observed that the passenger, a 34-year-old Anacortes man, appeared to be trying to conceal an illegal knife that was strapped to his leg. The man was then taken into custody for being in possession of two daggers. A search of the man and the vehicle revealed small amounts of suspected illegal drugs including methamphetamine, and a variety of drug paraphernalia including scales, numerous zip lock baggies, and smoking pipes. The woman claimed that the suspected meth and the drug paraphernalia belonged to her. The couple was released from the scene but face possible charges of possession of illegal drugs, drug paraphernalia, and illegal weapons.
An officer stopped a van near Ship Harbor Blvd. after confirming that a 23-year-old Anacortes man who was a passenger had an outstanding warrant for his arrest for a previous domestic violence assault charge. A brief search of the area where the passenger had been seated revealed a box that contained suspected marijuana, a scale, and numerous prescription pills. The passenger claimed ownership of the items and said that the driver, and Anacortes man, had no knowledge of them. The driver also claimed he had no idea that the drug items were in the van. The passenger was booked into jail on the warrant and faces additional possession of controlled substance and drug paraphernalia charges.
An officer contacted a 20-year-old Anacortes woman staggering on 20th Street near the high school after it was reported she was possibly intoxicated as she left the football game. The woman smelled of alcohol and admitted she had a “couple of beers.” She was arrested for underage drinking and provided a portable breath test that indicated she had consumed a large amount of alcohol. The woman was cited for underage drinking and released near her home.
A 49-year-old Anacortes man was arrested at his place of employment in Burlington after he allegedly violated a court protection order. The order stated that the man was to have no intentional contact with a 35-year-old Anacortes woman with whom he had a previous relationship. The man allegedly walked into a downtown bar where the woman was already seated, made a comment to the woman, and than sat down in the bar. The woman then left and phoned the police. The man was arrested the next day and booked into jail.
Saturday, September 5
Officers responded to a boat moored at a marina in the 1000 block of Q Avenue after an Anacortes man had called a crisis line and reported that he had wrapped an anchor around himself and was going to jump into the water. Officers contacted the man who appeared to be intoxicated and persuaded him to allow them to come onto his boat. The man said that his marriage was breaking up and that he had no reason to live. He admitted that he had wrapped himself in anchor rope and had intended to jump overboard, but that he had changed his mind and now didn’t need any intervention. Officers were able to talk the man into being transported to the local hospital for evaluation.
A 31-year-old man was arrested for domestic violence assault after he allegedly shoved his girlfriend at a home in the 1300 block of Broadview Drive. The couple had been reportedly arguing outside of the home about parenting issues involving their son when the man allegedly shoved the woman out of the way to enter the house to check on the child. The man admitted that he had “pushed past” the woman. The man was booked into jail on the assault charge.
Officers arrested a 29-year-old Anacortes man at his residence in the 5300 block of Sunset Avenue on an outstanding felony warrant for a previous violation of a court order. A baggy of suspected marijuana was found in the man’s pocket during the search incident to arrest. The man was booked into jail on the warrant and issued a court summons for possession of marijuana.
The US Coast Guard arrested a 24-year-old Mount Vernon man for boating while intoxicated and discovered the man was also in possession of a small amount of marijuana. The man was brought into the Washington Park boat launch where an Anacortes Police officer issued the man a citation for possession of marijuana.
Sunday, September 6
Approximately $300 to $400 of assorted hand and power tools were reported stolen from a garage in the 1100 block of 11th Street. The access door to the garage had been reportedly locked, but it was inconclusive if the door had been forced open. The thief remains unknown at this time.
Officers responded to an alarm at a business in the 900 block of 37th Street minutes after it had closed for the night and discovered that an exterior door had been forced open. The door molding and lock were damaged with repair costs estimated at $200. No one was found inside of the business and a K-9 unit from a neighboring police department helped check the area without success. It was unknown if anything was actually stolen from the store.
Monday, September 7
An employee of a grocery in the 900 block of 11th Street reported that an unknown man walked out of the store without paying for 3 bottles of malt liquor. The employee went outside and wrote down the license number of the vehicle the man got into. The man then brought the liquor back into the store, set it on a counter, and left. Officers checked the area for the man and the vehicle without success.
The owner of a business in the 200 block of Commercial Avenue arrived at work and discovered the front door had been damaged. The owner checked the business and found that the cash register drawer had been removed although no money had been left in it. The glass to another exterior door was found broken and it was believed the unknown burglar entered through that door. Nothing appeared to be missing from the business.
A television valued at $1,000 and a laptop computer also valued at $1,000 were reported stolen from a home in the 4200 block of Bryce Drive. The homeowner had been gone for a few days and discovered the theft upon returning home. It appeared that entry into the home had been made through an unsecured window.
A resident of the 4300 block of Tyler Way requested that two visitors to his home who were refusing to leave be removed by police. The resident claimed that the couple had “destroyed” his house while he had been away. The couple, a 50-year-old man and a 44-year-old woman, were both extremely intoxicated and said they were transients. The man had three warrants for his arrest for previous DUI and malicious mischief charges, and the woman had a warrant for a previous theft charge. Both people were booked into jail on their warrants.
Officers responded to the report of a fight in front of an apartment complex in the 1100 block of 29th Street in which a male was reported to be assaulting a woman in a car. The car was leaving when officers arrived, but an officer stopped the car in a nearby parking lot. The driver was identified as a 23-year-old Anacortes woman who appeared to be intoxicated. The woman said that her former boyfriend, a 31-year-old Anacortes man, had jumped into her car at the apartment complex and began punching a man who was a passenger in the back seat. The woman said that her ex had to partially lie across her to punch the other man. The woman said that her ex constantly follows her around town and harasses her and that he had no reason to hit the other man. The other man said that the ex was probably mad because he was with the woman, but that he did not want to pursue assault charges against him. The woman was arrested for drunk driving after failing field sobriety tests and she also had a suspended driver’s license. She was cited for DUI and driving while suspended and released to a sober friend. The ex told officers that the man in the car had punched him first but that he also did not want to pursue charges. The ex was arrested and booked into jail for domestic violence harassment based on his pattern of behavior towards the woman.
Tuesday, September 8
Officers responded to a home in the 300 block of 7th Street after a resident reported hearing knocking on her window and the sound of breaking glass. The resident looked outside and saw 2 unknown males running away. The homeowner then discovered 2 small window panes had been broken. Officers checked the area for the prowlers but were unable to locate them.
A pickup parked in the 2300 block of 37th Court was prowled and the stereo removed form the dashboard. A box of shotguns shells and a bottle of prescription medication were also stolen. Entry appeared to have been made by forcing open a wing window and unlocking the door.
A mail carrier was bitten on the hand by a dog in the 2300 block of G Avenue. A child in the house had inadvertently opened the front door and the dog ran outside and confronted the mail carrier. The mail carrier was treated at the emergency room. The dog was current on its rabies vaccination, but was subject to a 10 day in-house quarantine.
Two aluminum engine heads valued at $800 were stolen from behind an automotive business in the 1000 block of 12th Street. It was believed that the heads might have been stolen for their scrap metal value.
A 23-year-old Anacortes man was arrested at Washington Park after an officer saw him talking with a 19-year-old woman near the playground area. The officer was aware of a no-contact order that prohibited the man from having contact with the woman. The man said that he had seen the woman arrive at the park and wanted to say hi to her because she is pregnant with his child. The man said that he was ware of the court order. The man was booked into jail.
Wednesday, September 9
A car parked in the 2100 block of 32nd Street was prowled and a $1,400 designer purse stolen from inside. The purse contained a wallet, $45 in cash, two pairs of sunglasses, two handicap placards, and assorted prescription medication.
A 27-year-old Anacortes man and a 22-year-old Anacortes man were each cited for disorderly conduct after officers were dispatched to the report of a fight in the 1000 block of 27th Street. The younger man had reportedly been driving by when the older man began yelling at him and tried to reach into the car. The younger man drove off and then returned with his father. The father then exchanged words with the older man telling him to leave his son alone. Fortunately, the police arrived before the matter escalated.
A witness reported seeing a man crouch down by a car in a store parking lot in the 1500 block of Commercial Avenue and then hearing hissing air and seeing the car had a flat tire. The man left as a passenger in a car driven by a woman, but the witness obtained a license number. A 20-year-old man who matched the suspect description was then contacted at a home in the 1600 block of 20th Street. The man denied slashing the tire, but another witness said that the man had recognized the car in the lot as belonging to his ex-boss. The man exhibited the effects of drinking alcohol and he admitted to having a few beers. He was arrested for underage drinking and for having numerous warrants for his arrest. The man then became very belligerent and threatened to kill the officer and his family. He was booked into jail on charges of MIP and malicious mischief, and also for the warrants.
An employee of a grocery in the 900 block of 11th Street saw a man leave the store without paying for 2 lobster tails and some sea scallops. When the employee followed the man outside, the man took off running through the parking lot. Officers were unable to locate the suspect, but did find the stolen items in a nearby parking lot after it appeared the suspect dropped them as he fled. The packaged items were returned to the store.
Thursday, September 10
A possible drunk driver was reported at a business in the 2800 block of Commercial Avenue. An officer followed the car to a home in the 500 block of Hillcrest Drive and identified the driver as a 21-year-old man. The man smelled of intoxicants and admitted he had been drinking. He failed field sobriety tests and was placed under arrest. A 27-year-old passenger in the car was also taken into custody as he had a warrant for a previous DUI offense. The driver was processed for drunk driving and provided breath samples over the legal limit. The driver was cited for DUI and released. The man with the warrant was booked into jail.
A memorial photograph in a metal frame attached to a bench at a thrift shop in the 400 block of O Avenue was reported stolen. No value was listed for the photo.
A tenant at a building in the 8600 block of South March Point Road arrived and discovered a running vehicle with an unknown man inside in a garage area. The garage door was down and plastic and coats were stuffed along the bottom of the door. The man in the car was surprised by the arrival of the tenant, and he opened the door and drove away. Based upon the license number, officers contacted a 59-year-old man at his residence in Anacortes. The man admitted to having tried to kill himself due to financial difficulties. The man was taken to the hospital for evaluation and treatment.
Officers responded to a tavern in the 1900 block of Commercial Avenue regarding a 59-year-old man reporting he had been punched in the face by a 44-year-old man. The older man had no visible injuries. The younger man claimed that the other man had struck him in the face with a pool cue after he told him not to scratch the pool table. The younger man also had no visible injuries. Both men had been drinking and after some consideration, neither man wanted to pursue charges in the matter.
A 28-year-old Anacortes woman was arrested on a warrant for a previous theft charge after an officer stopped the car she was driving for having expired license tabs. The woman was booked into jail on the warrant.
Two vehicles parked at a home in the 5500 block of Doon Way were shot with pink colored paint balls. Both vehicles were shot several times, but did not sustain any permanent damage. The suspects are unknown.
Friday, September 11
A 59-year-old man driving his vehicle in the 500 block of 4th Street struck a deer that ran in front of his vehicle. The collision caused minor damage to the van, but seriously injured the young buck to the point where it had to be put out of its misery by an officer.
A 30-year-old Oak Harbor man was arrested for drunk driving after an officer stopped his car for speeding and weaving in the roadway on SR 20. The man smelled of alcohol, fumbled with his paperwork, and admitted he had “a couple.” The man failed field sobriety tests and was placed under arrest. He was processed for DUI and provided breath samples that were over twice the legal limit. He was cited for drunk driving and released to a sober family member.