Bellingham police and fire responding to possible fatal crash involving a pedestrian
The Bellingham police and fire departments are responded to a possible fatal pedestrian-involved traffic incident Friday morning in the Columbia neighborhood.
Fire crews were called to the 2100 block of Eldridge Avenue at 10:18 a.m. July 9 for the report of an expanded traffic collision, according to the PulsePoint app.
Lt. Claudia Murphy confirmed to The Bellingham Herald in an email that officers responded to Eldridge Avenue for a collision that involved a pedestrian and that the 2300 block of Eldridge would be closed — likely for “several hours” while the Traffic Division investigates.
“The collision occurred as one driver collided with the back of a parked vehicle,” Murphy wrote. “A pedestrian was struck and sustained life-threatening injuries and was transported to the hospital for treatment.”
Murphy said no more information would be available until after the investigation has concluded.
Unconfirmed emergency radio reports at the time said there was a “possible fatality” and amputation involved in the collision.
Follow-up unconfirmed broadcasts by police officers on the scene said they were speaking to witnesses and that a Mitsubishi Mirage may have been the car involved in the incident and that the driver may have had a suspended license.
Another unconfirmed broadcast said that the Support Officers of Whatcom County, who are often called to assist families dealing with tragedy, were responding to St. Joseph hospital.
Additional unconfirmed reports said that the driver was also being taken to the hospital and that the road was closed in the area.
Though it is not known if any runners were in the area at the time, Ragnar’s Northwest Passage relay running race from Blaine to Langley was scheduled to use Eldridge Avenue on Friday, including the area where police and fire responded.
The Bellingham Herald has reached out to the fire department and Ragnar for more information.
This story was originally published July 9, 2021 at 11:09 AM.
