Man who tries to break up Bellingham domestic assault allegedly threatened with car
A man who attempted to break up a domestic assault of a pregnant woman in a car, reportedly had the alleged attacker turn the car on him and threaten to run him over in a Meridian neighborhood parking lot on Wednesday afternoon, May 20.
Bellingham police booked Mikko J.K. Hillaire, 23, into Whatcom County jail on suspicion of two counts of second-degree assault, one of interfering with the report of domestic violence and one of unlawful imprisonment. Jail records show he was released Thursday on personal recognizance.
At approximately 4 p.m. Wednesday, 911 dispatchers received multiple calls reporting that a female passenger was being assaulted by a male driver in a red car near F Street and Roeder Avenue, Whatcom County Superior Court documents state. Officers were unable to locate the car, until five more calls about the same car were received a half hour later from the 4000 block of Northwest Avenue.
Witnesses reported that a male driver was attempting to run over another man in a parking lot after a female had run from the car, and the vehicle left the parking lot, heading south toward Interstate 5.
Officers spoke to the female victim at a nearby bus stop and observed injuries to her face and neck and blood on her sweatshirt, documents state. She reported that during an argument, Hillaire began to hit and punch her in the face and strangle her while driving the car. The woman, who is 20 weeks pregnant, also said Hillaire wouldn’t let her get out of the car and took her phone when she tried to call 911.
The second male victim and a witness said they saw the car traveling in front of them and Hillaire punching the female victim, documents state. They also reported seeing the car driving with one of the female victim’s feet outside the door and her getting out of the car and running away with one shoe on when the car stopped in the parking lot.
The male victim confronted Hillaire, court documents state, but Hillaire drove the car toward the victim. The male victim punched the hood of the car, and Hillaire reportedly accelerated again toward him, before the male victim moved out of the way and Hillaire fled the scene.
