City of Ferndale opens internal investigation into officer charged with vehicular assault
The city of Ferndale announced Wednesday, Nov. 27, that it has opened an internal investigation into the actions of a Ferndale Police lieutenant who has been charged with vehicular assault after he allegedly drove through a red light and hit another driver, severely injuring her.
Ferndale Police Lt. William Houston Hatchett, 45, was charged Nov. 26 with felony vehicular assault, according to Whatcom County Superior Court records. His first appearance is tentatively scheduled for Dec. 13.
The city is conducting an internal administrative investigation to determine if any rules, policies or procedures were violated, according to the press release. The release states it’s standard for the city to start an internal investigation pending the completion of a criminal investigation, but that the internal investigation is not dependent on the outcome of the criminal one or any charges.
The internal investigation will determine whether Hatchett complied with “the rules of conduct and professionalism” established by the Ferndale Police Department, the release states.
“We place a high value on the community’s trust, and we will continue to work every day to earn and maintain that trust,” said Ferndale Police Chief Kevin Turner in a prepared statement. “Our staff are dedicated to the welfare and safety of our community and perform their duties every day with distinction and professionalism. We thank Washington State Patrol Chief Batiste and his staff for their assistance in conducting the accident investigation.”
Hatchett has been employed by the city since Sept. 15, 1999, according to Riley Sweeney, a city spokesperson. Hatchett is still employed, but on administrative leave, Sweeney said. The Washington State Patrol investigated the collision.
The collision
Around 11:45 a.m. on April 11, Hatchett radioed Whatcom County dispatchers to request aid be sent to his house just east of Ferndale city limits after he received a call from his wife who said she had possibly amputated her finger, according to Washington State Patrol investigative records obtained by The Bellingham Herald.
After requesting aid, Hatchett left the Ferndale Police Department in his city-issued unmarked 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe and headed for his home. A little more than two minutes later, Hatchett radioed again and said that he had been involved in a collision at the intersection of Main Street and Joe Moser Lane in Ferndale, the records show.
Teresa L. Thompson, 64, had just left the Walgreens on Main Street in her 2016 Subaru Impreza and had stopped at the traffic light at the Joe Moser Lane and Main Street intersection, waiting to turn left. Once the light turned green, Thompson’s Subaru started making its left turn, but was then struck by Hatchett’s Tahoe, the records state.
A camera Thompson had mounted to the right of her rear vision mirror captured the collision. It shows it was raining that day, and that Hatchett’s emergency lights were on. The camera does not capture audio. Ferndale police vehicles don’t have dash cams, and the city doesn’t have cameras at that intersection, according to Sweeney and the records.
State Patrol investigators determined Hatchett’s Tahoe was driving 59 mph 2.5 seconds before impact, and was traveling roughly 33 to 38 mph at impact, records show. Thompson’s Subaru was traveling almost 16 mph at impact. The speed limit on Main Street is 25 mph.
Thompson suffered life-threatening injuries and was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Several days after the collision, Thompson’s family said she was continuing to recover after she had five surgeries in four days.
Hatchett suffered minor injuries, was taken to St. Joseph hospital and was treated and released the same day. Hatchett’s wife had severed her ring finger while attempting to clean out a ShopVac, but it was reattached and her prognosis was good, according to State Patrol records.
High rates of speed
In charging documents filed in court, it states that Hatchett “did not visually clear the intersection,” and that he was traveling 59 mph through a 25 mph zone.
Multiple witnesses said they observed Hatchett driving at high rates of speed ranging from at least 45 mph up to 70 mph on Main Street, as well as changing lanes and entering into oncoming traffic, the State Patrol records obtained by The Herald show. Most said Hatchett had his emergency lights and sirens on.
Washington state law for emergency vehicles states that the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle, when responding to an emergency call or in pursuit of a suspected law violator, can go through a red light or stop sign, but only after slowing down as much as is necessary.
The law also states that this does not relieve the driver of the emergency vehicle “from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons” or from the consequences of their reckless disregard for the safety of others.
The State Patrol report concluded that “Lieutenant Hatchett was required to decrease his speed further in order to avoid a collision in the intersection,” the State Patrol report shows.
A review of both Hatchett and Thompson’s 5-year driving records shows neither have citations or collisions, the records state.
