Man dies in apparent hit and run near Birch Bay, troopers say
A Whatcom County man died in what appears to be a hit and run Monday morning south of Blaine, according to the Washington State Patrol.
A passerby discovered the body of Joshua Karl Reynolds, 33, around 7:40 a.m. in a ditch on the north side of the 3900 block of Birch Bay-Lynden Road.
Firefighters rushed to the scene – a rural stretch of road, about 2 miles east of Birch Bay – and confirmed the man was dead. Debris suggested he may have been struck by a vehicle, said Sgt. Mark Francis of state patrol. Based on that, troopers have an idea what kind of vehicle they’re looking for, but declined to release more information Monday.
Troopers released Reynolds’ identity in the afternoon, after his family was notified. Court records show in recent years, he lived at a house about 4 miles southwest of where he was found Monday.
It appeared the body had been in the ditch overnight, said Dr. Gary Goldfogel, the Whatcom County medical examiner. The exact time Reynolds died remains unclear. An autopsy has been scheduled for Tuesday to confirm the cause of death.
Tips can be directed to Detective Dan Comnick at 360-654-1200. Or call 911.
Caleb Hutton: 360-715-2276, @bhamcaleb
This story was originally published May 15, 2017 at 12:35 PM with the headline "Man dies in apparent hit and run near Birch Bay, troopers say."