He forced his way into an apartment, hit the resident’s dog and stole a phone, police say
A 35-year-old man reportedly pushed his way into a Bellingham apartment of two residents he didn’t know, smacked their dog, took a cell phone and smashed it before throwing a piece of lumber at a lawn ornament on his way out Thursday evening.
Bellingham Police booked Todd Grant Hawley into Whatcom County Jail on suspicion of residential burglary, second-degree animal cruelty, third-degree malicious mischief and third-degree theft.
According to information provided by Lt. Claudia Murphy in an email Friday to The Bellingham Herald, at about 5:47 p.m. Thursday, Hawley knocked on the door of an apartment in the 200 block of East Bakerview Circle and began yelling that he knew the residents. One of the residents opened the door to see who was knocking, and Hawley reportedly forced the door completely open and walked into the apartment.
Both residents told Hawley to leave, as neither knew him, Murphy said, and Hawley responded by grabbing a cell phone, holding it out of reach and asking them what they were going to do about it. Hawley also reportedly hit Sammy, a small Chihuahua/Pomeranian mix, in the head hard enough to knock him over and send him running for cover under a bed.
Hawley eventually did leave the apartment, but took the cellphone with him. He threw the phone to the ground, shattering it in pieces, Murphy said. He then picked up a 6-by-6 piece of lumber and threw it at a lawn ornament.
Bellingham Police found Hawley nearby, Murphy said, and the residents positively identified him as the man who had entered their apartment.
According to court records, Hawley is scheduled to face a jury trial beginning Feb. 11 stemming from a 2017 charge for harassment, and he has previous convictions for malicious mischief, resisting arrest, theft of a motor vehicle, possession of a controlled substance as a prisoner, harassment, assault and DUI between 2004 and 2015.
