A woman with a slashed throat emerged from the woods near Nulle Road south of Bellingham on Friday afternoon, Oct. 5, but hours later investigators had yet to say who she is and how she was hurt.

The roadside was being treated as a crime scene after the woman walked out of the woods covered in blood at 12:25 p.m. She was rushed to St. Joseph hospital by ambulance with life-threatening injuries, said Chief Dave Ralston of South Whatcom Fire Authority.

Her name and age have not been released.

Skagit County law enforcement has taken the lead in the case because it appears the scene is about 20 feet south of the county line near Lake Samish, said Whatcom County Sheriff's Sgt. Scott Huso.

The sergeant could not confirm the woman had been assaulted. It was still considered a "suspicious circumstance" as of late Friday afternoon.

Reach CALEB HUTTON at caleb.hutton@bellinghamherald.com or call 715-2276.