BELLINGHAM - A Bellingham man with a suspended license led police on a chase through the Birchwood neighborhood before getting arrested early Tuesday morning, June 19, according to the Bellingham Police Department.
An officer checking license plates for violations shortly after 1 a.m. came across a 1987 Chevy Astrovan registered to Shawn Quiding, who had a suspended license, according to police spokesman Mark Young.
The van, parked at the 7-Eleven on Northwest Avenue, drove off. The van turned onto Birchwood Avenue going about 60 mph in a 25 mph zone, Young said. The officer chased the van, which went right onto Pinewood Avenue and left at Cottonwood Avenue, blowing through stop signs. The man ditched the van in the 3000 block of Cottonwood. A police dog tracked him to nearby woods. Quiding came out and told officers he ran because he had a suspended license, Young said.
Quiding, 38, was booked into Whatcom County Jail for investigation of attempting to elude officers and third-degree driving with a suspended license.
"He should've just taken a ticket and gotten his car towed," Young said. "Now he's got a felony."
Reach ZOE FRALEY at zoe.fraley@bellinghamherald.com or call 756-2803.
