Man involved in Ferndale Motel 6 stabbing, shooting sent to prison
One of the men involved in a March stabbing and shooting that occurred during a fight at the Motel 6 in Ferndale is headed to prison, while the other awaits trial for his role in the incident, according to court records filed in Whatcom County Superior Court.
John Raymond Vaughn, 36, pleaded guilty Aug. 2 to one count of second-degree assault. He was sentenced to 2½ years in prison, with 1½ years of probation, court records state.
Vaughn received an exceptional sentence above the standard range for his charge due to the seriousness of the assault, according to Vaughn’s public defense attorney, Starck Follis. Vaughn was initially charged with first-degree assault while armed with a deadly weapon.
Vaughn was in a medically-induced coma for a time after he was shot in the Motel 6 incident, but was recovering at St. Joseph Hospital. He later left the hospital on March 20 against medical advice and without notifying hospital staff, but did leave a thank you note on an eraser board in his room, records show.
The other suspect in the incident, 45-year-old Jason Matthew Riemland, is facing one count of first-degree assault while armed with a deadly weapon. Riemland pleaded not guilty March 16 and was released from jail on $50,000 bail, records show.
His jury trial is tentatively scheduled for 9 a.m. on Oct. 8.
The fight
Minutes before 9 a.m. on March 8, Ferndale police were called to the Motel 6, at 5671 Riverside Drive, for the report of a stabbing and shooting.
When they arrived, they found Vaughn, Riemland and a female near the front entrance, records show.
Riemland sustained a gash to his left lower jaw, was treated at the hospital and released into custody.
Vaughn suffered a gunshot wound to his chest, which missed major organs but collapsed his lung, caused internal bleeding and shattered his scapula, court records state.
In an interview done March 12, Vaughn told detectives he went to the motel to pick up the woman and give her sister a ride to the courthouse, but found the woman in Riemland’s vehicle. He said he and Riemland used to be best friends, according to court records.
Surveillance footage shows the two men sitting adjacent to one another in their vehicles in the motel parking lot. Vaughn approached Riemland’s truck and the two had a 20-second conversation before Vaughn is seen making a punching/striking movement toward Riemland, court records state.
Vaughn backed away, but later reapproached Riemland. Riemland then shot Vaughn, records show.
Vaughn said the night before the incident he found out the woman and Riemland were living together and may have sent some threatening messages over social media, records state.