A 17-year-old boy is facing charges of vehicular assault in connection with an injury crash during a police pursuit early Sunday, Oct. 21.

Both the boy and his 16-year-old male passenger were injured when their car slammed into a tree near Lakeway Drive and Portal Drive near the Bellingham city limits at 2:08 a.m. Sunday.

Because both the driver and his passenger are juveniles, their identities were not released. They were taken by ambulance to St. Joseph hospital, where the extent of their injuries was unknown.

According to a Washington State Patrol report, the driver was fleeing a Whatcom County sheriff's patrol car west on Lakeway Drive when he lost control of his four-door 2002 Volvo S60 and slammed into a tree on the north side of the road. It was unknown if they were wearing seat belts, according to the accident report.

Excessive speed and drugs or alcohol were cited as factors in the crash. The car was destroyed.

Robert Mittendorf is a Herald copy editor and page designer. Contact him at 360-756-2805 or at robert.mittendorf@bellinghamherald.com.