Whatcom County employee arrested for allegedly raping WWU student in early December
A Whatcom County employee was arrested Sunday, Jan. 19, for allegedly raping a Western Washington University student in early December.
Timothy Alexander Kennedy, 37, was arrested on suspicion of second-degree rape. Kennedy’s bail was set at $5,000 at his first appearance in Whatcom County Superior Court Tuesday, Jan. 21. A sexual assault protection order was also put into place between Kennedy and the victim.
Kennedy was released from the Whatcom County Jail shortly before 10 p.m. Tuesday. His arraignment is scheduled for Jan. 31.
Kennedy has been employed as a Planner II with the Whatcom County Planning & Development Services Department since 2013, according to Tyler Schroeder, Whatcom County deputy executive.
Schroeder declined to answer questions regarding whether Kennedy was placed on paid administrative leave, what the process was for when a county employee is charged with a crime and whether Kennedy had any previous complaints or concerns regarding his conduct.
Schroeder said the allegations were not tied to Kennedy’s employment with the county, and that it would be inappropriate for the county to comment further during the pending investigation.
Whatcom County Senior Deputy Public Defender Alan Chalfie said prior to working for the planning department, Kennedy previously spent a year at the Whatcom County Assessor’s Office.
Chalfie said Kennedy has lived in Whatcom County for 13 years and has three children with his wife. Chalfie argued at Kennedy’s first appearance that there was a concern that the sexual act may have been more consensual than was laid out in the police report. He asked that Kennedy be released on his personal recognizance.
Kennedy’s wife also appeared in court and asked the commissioner to release Kennedy on his personal recognizance. She said the allegations were shocking to her, and that he was the sole wage earner for the family and needed to get back to work.
Whatcom County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Evan Jones requested bail be set at $7,500. He said the crime was an allegation of sexual violence and warranted bail, and that a personal recognizance release didn’t appreciate the nature of the charge Kennedy was facing.
Jones said Kennedy didn’t appear to have a previous criminal history.
The crime
On Jan. 10, the Western Washington University Police Department was contacted by a woman who reported Kennedy raped her in her dorm room in early December, according to court records.
The woman, whose age is not listed, told police she met Kennedy, who went by the name “Jake” on Tinder, an online dating app. The woman was able to identify Kennedy as the person she met through a photo montage, court records state.
The woman said she met with Kennedy in person at her dorm the first day they connected on Tinder. She told police they attempted to have a sexual encounter the first night, the court records state. The woman said she felt Kennedy was “very forward” during the encounter, but she didn’t resist or say no.
The woman told police Kennedy contacted her several times over the next couple weeks, but she made excuses as to why she couldn’t meet, court records state. On the evening of Dec. 7, Kennedy contacted the woman and said he wanted to meet, so the woman allowed him to come to her dorm room, the records show.
The woman then told Kennedy she wouldn’t have sex with him, and he stated that was OK, the court records state. Kennedy then told the woman he wanted to make out with her, the records state.
The woman told police Kennedy started to inappropriately touch her, and she told him not to because his hands weren’t clean, according to court records. The woman told police Kennedy continued to touch her and that she told him no several times, court records show. The woman said Kennedy was bigger than her and she was afraid things would get violent, the records state.
The woman told police she didn’t stop Kennedy, because she thought it wouldn’t go any further and because she had already told him no. The woman then told police Kennedy raped her, and that she tried to disassociate herself during the attack, according to court records.
The woman told police she screamed when Kennedy was raping her, and that he then stopped, put his clothes on and ran from her room, court records state.
Resources
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence or sexual assault, you can contact the following local resources for free, confidential support:
▪ Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Services: 24-hour Help Line: 360-715-1563, Email: info@dvsas.org.
▪ Lummi Victims of Crime: 360-312-2015.
▪ Bellingham Police: You can call anonymously at 360-778-8611, or go online at cob.org/tips.
▪ WWU Consultation and Sexual Assault Support Survivor Advocacy Services: 360-650-3700 or wp.wwu.edu/sexualviolence/.
This story was originally published January 22, 2020 at 12:12 PM.
