Police Monday, March 10, responded to the report of a hit-and-run accident in which a pickup struck a road sign at the roundabout on Commercial Avenue and then left eastbound on State Route 20. Police located the pickup a short distance away on the highway stopped perpendicular to the lanes of travel. When the police car approached, the pickup turned into the roadway and began to slowly weave across the fog line and its lane of travel. The driver seemed unaware the police car emergency lights until the officer blew his air horn.
The pickup then stopped and the driver was identified as a 23-year-old Texas man who said he had been drinking at a local bar. He had slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, and smelled strongly of intoxicants. When asked if he remembered hitting a sign in the roundabout, the man answered “maybe.” The man exited his truck and almost fell down and he leaned against the guardrail to maintain his balance. The man’s balance was so poor the officer stopped field sobriety tests for the man’s own safety.
The man was placed under arrest and he was very uncooperative during DUI processing. The man was unaware that he had urinated all over himself in the holding cell and he displayed many mood swings including threatening the officers. A search warrant was obtained for the man’s blood and he was taken to the emergency room for a blood draw. The man was booked into jail on charges of drunk driving and hit-and-run.
Here are some of the other cases Anacortes Police worked on last week.
Friday, March 8
2:54 pm. A purple Quasar 21 speed mountain bike was stolen from outside of a home in the 1100 block of 29th Street. The victim told police that whoever stole her bike had left a small children’s bike in its place. The stolen bike was valued at $50.
Saturday, March 9
8:23 am. A resident of the 1600 block of 20th Street reported that someone had stolen the motor off of his motorized barstool that was parked outside of his home. The barstool had been chained up at the time of the theft and the thief broke the frame of the machine to remove the motor. The victim had been trying to sell the barstool for $150.
12:30 pm. A woman who had parked her car near a coffee business in the 2100 block of Commercial Avenue reported that a man had entered the business and threatened to slash her car tires. The man had been selling CD’s nearby and was upset that the woman’s car had blocked his sandwich board style sign. The man denied making any threats, but did tell police that he was upset the woman had blocked the view of his sign. The 62-year-old man was advised that the woman’s car was legally parked and he also trespassed.
Sunday, March 10
12:47 am. An officer stopped a car at 12th Street and H Avenue after watching it repeatedly cross the fog line and center line and almost strike the curb. The driver, a 56-year-old Anacortes woman, told the officer she was driving slowly and trying to get home as she “had a few drinks.” The woman smelled strongly of intoxicants, had bloodshot eyes, and had to grab the side of her car to retain her balance when she exited the vehicle. The woman asked to take her shoes off during field sobriety tests and she almost fell while taking off her first shoe. The officer helped to hold her up while she removed her second shoe. Not surprisingly, the woman failed field sobriety tests and was placed under arrest. The woman admitted that she had three vodka drinks and that “either me or a ghost” had been driving her car. The woman’s breath samples were significantly over the legal limit. She was issued a citation for DUI and released to her husband.
Monday, March 11
1:47 am. A 20-year-old La Conner woman was arrested for drunk driving after an officer stopped her car for speeding on Commercial Avenue. The woman and her male passenger both appeared to be intoxicated and the woman was reported to be very “chatty.” The woman initially claimed that she had “nothing” to drink but her poor performance on field sobriety tests was inconsistent with her claim. She was placed under arrest and later said that she had “one shot.” During processing, she provided breath samples that were one and half times the legal limit. She was cited for DUI and released to a sober friend.
12:56 pm. Two large ceramic vases were stolen out of the front yard of a home in the 1200 block of 34th Street. Both vases had stick figures of cats drawn on them. The vases were valued at $100.
8:06 pm. A 43-year-old transient woman was arrested out of a motor home that an officer had stopped on State Route 20. The woman was a passenger in the vehicle and had a warrant for her arrest out of Skagit County District Court for criminal solicitation and possession of drug paraphernalia. The jail would not accept the woman on the warrant due to overcrowding and she was released after being given a new court date.
11:05 pm. Police responded to the parking lot of the hospital regarding the report of an unruly man who had just been released from the emergency room and had allegedly threatened to “kick” the hospital staff. The man was already gone when police arrived and the 39-year-old Anacortes resident was not home when officers checked his house on 17th Street. About an hour later, police received a second call that the man was at a motel in the 2000 block of Commercial Avenue pounding on the office door and yelling. The man was located two blocks away and he was issued trespass warnings for the hospital (except the emergency room) and the motel.
Tuesday, March 12
2:12 pm. Someone entered an unlocked pickup parked in the 1100 block of 16th Street and stole two fishing knives, approximately $60 in cash, and the vehicles ashtray valued at $20. The unknown suspect also damaged the dashboard in an unsuccessful attempt to remove the stereo.
Wednesday, March 13
8:54 am. Someone prowled a pickup that was parked in an alleyway behind a home in the 1700 block of11th Street. The center console and glove box were rifled through and approximately $50 in change was stolen. Entry into the pickup was believed to have been made through an unlocked door.
3:03 pm. A freestanding basketball hoop was stolen from the 800 block of 7th Street. The hoop had a black backboard with a white butterfly design. The hoop had reportedly been lying on its side in the neighborhood for years and “no one” had ever objected to its presence.
Thursday, March 14
7:59 am. A red Schwinn “Beach Cruiser” style bicycle was stolen from an open carport in the 1600 block of 12th Street. The bike was described to be in “perfect shape” with very shiny paint.
3:58 pm. A black “Ted Wojcik” single-speed mountain bike valued at $350 was reported stolen from a bicycle rack in the 200 block of Commercial Avenue. The bike had a crème colored fork and a black aluminum basket welded on to the handlebars. The bike had not been secured to the rack.