Man hospitalized after being hit in head with a stick New Year’s Eve at WTA terminal
A man was hospitalized after he was struck in the side of the head by another man, who took a baseball-type swing with a large stick or club, New Year’s Eve at the downtown Whatcom Transportation Authority bus terminal.
Bellingham police booked Kurt Franklin Shamblin, 22, into Whatcom County Jail Tuesday on suspicion of second-degree assault. Jail records show Shamblin is being held in lieu of $2,500 bail.
Officers responded at 12:02 p.m. to the terminal in the 200 block of East Magnolia Street for reports that a man had struck another in the head with a large stick or club, Lt. Claudia Murphy told The Bellingham Herald.
Police learned that Shamblin and the victim were seen speaking. When the victim turned and walked away, Shamblin swung his walking stick or club like a baseball bat and hit the victim in the left side of the head, Murphy said.
Emergency radio reports of the incident said that the victim had been knocked unconscious. Murphy said the victim sustained a laceration to his ear, bruises to his face and a concussion in addition to possibly losing consciousnesses. He was transported to the hospital for medical care.
Police found Shamblin walking south on High Street wearing the same clothing as witnesses described and still carrying the stick or club, Murphy said.
Officers ordered Shamblin to the ground, and he refused, and instead began digging in his pockets, Murphy said. In order to deescalate the situation, Murphy said officers fired a bean bag on the ground in front of Shamblin.
He was taken into custody without further incident and the stick was impounded as evidence, Murphy said.
