Transient man’s crime spree ends after riding stolen bike into oncoming I-5 traffic
A transient man was arrested Thursday for more than a dozen alleged offenses, including assaulting two people inside a tent and riding a stolen bicycle into oncoming traffic on Interstate 5.
Jeffrey Todd Brown, 51, was arrested Nov. 7 on suspicion of first-degree burglary, first-degree robbery, felony harassment, two counts of third-degree theft, third-degree malicious mischief, fourth-degree assault, possession of a controlled substance, resisting arrest and several warrants out of Skagit County, according to Whatcom County Jail records.
At approximately 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Bellingham police were notified of a man, later identified as Brown, was reportedly riding a recently stolen bicycle. The officer turned his patrol car’s emergency lights and sirens on and attempted to stop Brown, according to Bellingham Police Lt. Claudia Murphy.
Brown did not stop and “continued to rapidly ride away” southbound on Northwest Avenue toward I-5, Murphy said, and the officer used the vehicle’s loudspeaker to tell Brown to stop and that he was under arrest for the stolen bike.
Brown ignored the officer’s commands and eventually turned onto the off-ramp of I-5 and rode into oncoming traffic on the shoulder, Murphy said, prompting the officer to stop following.
The bicycle was found abandoned in the 500 block of Sterling Drive near I-5. A K-9 track found Brown hiding in tall grass along a creek, Murphy said. Brown was found to have Suboxone strips, for which he didn’t have a prescription, when he was searched, Murphy said.
At that time, Brown also was arrested on charges stemming from an Oct. 22 incident where allegedly he destroyed a tent and assaulted two people inside.
At approximately 3:45 a.m. Oct. 22, Bellingham police were called to an assault in the 1200 block of Lincoln Street. Brown allegedly entered a tent with two people inside. Once inside, Brown allegedly kicked both of them in the head, Murphy said.
Brown reportedly threatened to cut one of the victims, and then fled the scene, taking some of the victims’ property with him. He also cut up the tent with a knife and broke the tent poles, Murphy said.
One of the victims sustained minor injuries from being kicked in the head, Murphy said.
Brown also was arrested on warrants out of Skagit County relating to abandoning a junk vehicle, third-degree theft, failing to register as a sex offender, possession of a controlled substance and bail jumping, Murphy said.
This story was originally published November 11, 2019 at 12:09 PM.
